Winter's end
by Animefreak11
Summary: KuramaxOC “Are you sure you're a guy?” What could happen during a harmless school trip? Let's see what winter brings along, maybe a bit more than cold snow... How about some heart warming? Full summary inside! Rated for lemon! COMPLETE!
1. Spontaneous reaction!

_Summary: _[KuramaxOC After all these years... "Are you sure you're a guy?" What could happen during a harmless school trip? How can Kurama convince someone so hardheaded that her hatred is just a cover up? Let's see what winter brings along, maybe a bit more than cold snow... How about some heart warming? Or just plain warming up.

Another random idea that popped in my head and since I know a die-hard Kurama fan, I'll use her OC and dedicate this fic to her: Raysha!

Note: I know it'll be confusing but try to-- bear with me. Especially the "he vs she" thing.

_**WARNING**_: There will be a **lemon** later on, you don't have to read the end if you don't want to. I'll put a warning before and after the lemon as well. FYI: This will be my second lemon fic.

**Disclaimer**: Yoshihiro Togashi owns the entirety of Yu Yu Hakusho and FUNimation licensed the anime. I own nothing **but** the plot, my characters and anything else that's not in the manga/anime. I don't own Ray either, it's my friend's OC.

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**Chapter 1: Spontaneous reaction!**

Twitch. '_That's it. Anymore of that laugh and I'm going to sock his girly face._'

A nervous chuckle from the same red haired student body president followed that thought as the bell rang to announce the end of this class and the start of the next.'_Great, more torture._' thought Ray, sighing at the thought of that horrendously torturing class: chemistry!

Why was she so annoyed by him? She had known him pretty much her entire life, and he never _ever_ looked like a guy to her. Maybe it was because she felt compared to him in beauty? Ch, as if! All the guys pretty much were already drooling all over her. Too bad she wasn't interested.

"Ray?"

"Present!" she jerked her head up, no time to day dream. Today was the day the lab groups were decided for the rest of the semester, she better not end up with—anyone annoying. But especially not _him_.

Her unusual gray hair attracted attention ever since she set foot in kinder garden, but that flamboyant red hair instantly diverted the girls' attention to him.

The teacher started talking, forcing students out of their day dreaming state except... Ray was pretty much already soaked up in her own world, her gaze empty and unfocused. Her eyes too, always attracted attention, wanted or not.

Most frequently asked question: "Are you blind?" No, but sure, gray eyes do seem particular. Even though it's genetically possible -still rare, but possible- people kept asking and she didn't feel like going into details.

"Shuichi will be with—" And all the girls in the class, except those who already had a group, started squealing excitedly, save for Ray who crossed her fingers to be left alone.

"Ray."

Gray eyes looked up. Twitch. She stood up slowly, her head staring at her desk, her gray hair covering both cheeks. "Excuse me?" she asked in a small voice, her emotions bottled up trying to not spontaneously burst out.

"Ray you will be paired with Shuichi. I'm sure you'll both get along. You are, after all, top students." repeated the teacher, smiling as if he knew everything.

Ok, top students does not mean nerdy, or—all over a boy! What was he thinking!? Two smart people together!? That's the worst mistake **ever**! One smart and one dumb works out much better: the smart one is always right. But put two brains together, they'll only bicker and argue and never get anything done.

After finishing up reading the lab partners list, the teacher clapped his hands. "Please go to your new seats, we'll start today with the chemical formula of acetate."

Ray, with her jaw clenched, unwillingly went to Shuichi's table and sat next to him, avoiding eye contact. Of course all the girls in the class were glaring daggers at her, they all knew she was a traitor: she didn't like Shuichi. That in itself was punishable by—death!

"It's been a while since you came this close." whispered Shuichi to his new lab partner.

"I don't have a choice." hissed Ray, propping her head on both hands as she looked straight ahead at the black board.

Shuichi smiled in his cute yet knowing way and glanced at the teacher quickly before turning to Ray again. "Maybe this time you won't have to try to cut my hair."

"Oh shut up, girly girl." muttered Ray, barely glancing at him.

"Ray! Would you pay attention?" called the teacher, glaring at her. In reply to that, she just shrugged and stared at the black board again. That was always how it went. Even though she was a top student, teachers always picked on her and never on him—uh, _her_.

Finally the torture ended, well, chemistry to be formal. Ray dashed out of the room as quickly as she could; the less she saw or heard of Shuichi, the better. Even though she knew she'd probably hear her mom greet _her_ when _she_ came back since they lived in the same building and were, after all, next door neighbors.

Luckily she didn't see _her_ as much during the winter, thank goodness it was already December. After all these years, she still couldn't believe he wasn't a girl. Seriously, with hair that long and his soft spoken voice, he couldn't possibly be a guy!

"I'm home." said Ray once she pushed the front door open, then she took off her shoes and headed straight for her room. She needed to massacre a magazine or ten.

After that, she felt a lot better and was able to spend the rest of the evening with a more or less peaceful mind. And the next morning, Ray had almost—not completely, that was impossible—but _almost_ forgotten about it!

Her gray eyes lit up when she looked out the window. It was snowing again! That new uniform sure came in handy... Oh what a happy girl she was now, walking gaily towards school in the newly fallen white powder that was piling up on the already white streets and sidewalks.

Even her classes seemed shorter that day—maybe it was just because she kept staring out the window—when the one thing, I should say person, that could darken her mood appeared. Bam! Right in front of her.

Her smile instantly dropped, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to school, like a normal student, and right now, you're standing in my way to chemistry." he replied like a smart ass, smiling innocently.

Ray's eyes glinted with malice as she turned around and entered the classroom, "Oh the girls' bathroom on the second floor is closed. Just thought I'd let you know so you don't have to waste your time trying to get there."

Kurama blinked, shortly frowning in confusion before smirking, "I appreciate your concern although I'm pretty sure you know by now I don't peek."

Ray snickered quietly and sat down, covering her mouth with one hand as she bit her lip to keep quiet. "That's right, you're way past the peeping stage, you're actually going in the boys' locker room and—well, I suppose you know the rest." she nodded knowingly.

Kurama playfully rolled his eyes, "Fine then. Meet me in the courtyard at the end of the day, I'll have something for you." and with that said, class started.

Confusing, confusing. Now Ray was intrigued. Something for her? What, like—lipstick? Or maybe tips on how to get her hair really soft. Hm, maybe on how to make your skin to pale and eyes so appealing? Whatever it was, she was going to make sure to ridicule _her_ again.

After all, he was a she, Ray was sure of it! Heck you read it in manga all the time, girls dressing like guys, and vice versa so why wouldn't it be happening in her school? Yep, she most definitely was sure of it: Shuichi was a she.

So after school, Ray—being curious—waited under a tree, watching the snowflakes graciously fall from the gray clouds and bond with the snow on the ground. She loved the sound walking in the snow made, sort of a 'crunch.'

Of course, she knew that ice was probably lurking under that thin layer of snow and, indeed, students too eager to go home slipped and fell right on their butts.

'_Maybe I should give __**her**__ a surprise too._' smirked Ray, falling down to be crouching and hurried to make two snowballs. Her shirt had long sleeves, it was a winter uniform after all, and her skirt was barely longer than it was in summer, but it went down to her knees. So she just had longer and thicker socks.

Once finished, Ray stood up with the snowballs clutched in her hands. She had forgotten to take gloves... maybe next time. '_Hurry up!_' She could feel her fingers freezing up, well—no. Actually she just couldn't feel her fingers anymore.

"I knew you'd show up." said a soft voice, he—excuse me, _she_ sure seemed out of breath.

* * *

And that's that, cut! ... I mean... Ok Ray might sound a bit... annoying or conceited and whatnot, but even if she does, she's not... I decided to cut this one-shot into a short fic, just because... It's more interesting this way and-- I might get ideas from reviewers... So—yeah... Reviews extremely appreciated! 


	2. Fight till you freeze!

Note: Even though Ray thinks of Kurama as a "she" I'm going to refer to him as a "he" because otherwise, it'd just be confusing... When you see a (1), that's when she'll start viewing him as a guy again. Enjoy!

** Disclaimer**: Ray belongs to Raysha, the plot belongs to me and _**only**_ me.

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**Chapter 2**: **Fight till you freeze!**

"... So why'd you want me to come here?" inquired Ray, suspiciously. Something white shooting for her head made her eyes widen before quickly closing. Gotta love reflexes. A small laugh made her twitch. '_Oh so __he__ wants to play._'

Smirking, Ray instantly threw one snowball. Bang! Right in his laughing face! Shaking his head a bit, Shuichi pulled out the snow that clung to his bangs. A wicked grin played on his lips, clearly saying he wasn't going to stand there without fighting back.

As quick as a thief, Kurama ducked the second snowball Ray threw at him and started gathering snow quickly in his gloved hands. "Ack!" Ray turned her head, having both hands in front of her face as she avoided getting hit by that deadly snowball.

So, he wanted a fight huh? He'd get one! Ray ran—as well as you can in snow anyway—and hid behind the tree, gathering a large amount of snow in her frozen, frost bitten, red hands and waited for him to come look for her. Noticing each breath was like a cloud, she held her breath—or took in short ones.

Ah, she heard the snow crunch under his shoes. So he was coming after all. Good, another minute and she would have to amputate her hands. Whack! She got hit in the neck. Cold cold cold! But at least, he was off guard now and Ray took advantage of that. She lunged forward, snow in both hands and grabbed his collar, dumping it all inside his shirt.

Shuichi blinked and looked down at Ray's arms that were still holding on the collar of his shirt—only because they were frozen, not because she wanted to!—then shivered. "Cold! Ah! That's cold!" and he started hopping from one foot to another, trying to pull his shirt out from his pants to get the melting snow out.

Ray blinked and forced her frozen fingers off his shirt, taking a step back and started blowing on her hands, occasionally rubbing them together to get the blood flowing again. She couldn't help but smirk. Success! That was—sort of a revenge. Yep, after all, he had smashed a snowball in her face...

"Moron, you're only going to catch more of a cold if you take your shirt off." said Ray, her breath frozen in the air. She could've pretended she was smoking... smoking—air! That's right. She gets high off life. Or... not.

Not listening, or pretending not to, Kurama managed to get all the snow out of his shirt and glanced at Ray before grabbing her hand and hurrying back inside. By this time, there were very few students left, if any: only the overachievers.

"What are you doing?" asked Ray, half yelling as she was dragged back inside, nearly losing a shoe in the process.

"I'm cold." replied Shuichi, closing the door behind both of them. His cheeks were red and his eyes sparkling. What did _she_ have in store now?

"Whatever. I'm going home." and Ray yanked her hand out of his grasp, turning around to open the door when she felt two strong arms grab her from behind and pulling her against something—toned and warm.

"W-what are you--"

"Shh." hushed Shuichi, putting his cold chin on her shoulder. If he didn't have his eyes closed, he would notice that Ray had eyes as wide as plugs. "You've always been mean to me Ray." he whispered, keeping his eyes closed and his grip firm around her so she couldn't squirm out.

"... So?" she managed to reply, trying not to get too comfortable. Why did it feel so nice?

"I think you're pretending I'm a girl so that you don't have to stare at me like everyone else. It's convenient. You can avoid your feelings that way." he said softly, nuzzling his cold nose against her warm neck.

Gulp. Okay now he was getting to the weird part. "Cut it out—" muttered Ray, trying to get at least one hand off her. Fat chance.

"No. I'm going to prove to you I'm a guy." he whispered and turned her around, slowly opening his crystal green eyes. Ray's gray ones slightly widened, what was _she_ going to do to her!?

"H-hands off." muttered the teenage girl, trying to push that he-she off her. Still not budging.

While keeping one hand around her back, Kurama gently took her frozen right hand and put it on his chest while pressing his forehead to hers. "See? It's flat." smiled Kurama, inching his chin forward.

Ray's heartbeat quickened, it almost felt like a flutter. With cheeks crimson red—that _wasn't_ due to the cold—she pushed him away quickly and dashed out the door, extremely confused.

What was that all about!? Putting two fingers to her lips, she felt her blush deepen. That was so close! He almost kissed her!? What the-- what the bloody hell was he thinking!?! (1)

Slowing down her run to avoid slipping on the ice, Ray walked out the school gates and leaned against the wall to catch her breath and maybe—her mind. That was freaky... Although he i _was_ /i right about one thing... His chest _was_ flat...

Small children's happy shouts caught her attention and momentarily diverted her glance on the street. Slightly smiling, Ray's gray eyes wandered on the white surface of the street, a shiny spot catching her attention. Uh oh, not good.

A ball bounced off the sidewalk and onto the icy street, a kid running closely behind it. Crap. "Wa--" but the sound of hard braking caught her attention. Her eyes widened in horror. The 18 wheeler had noticed the kid on the street and started braking early but—braking on ice, especially for a heavy truck, was a really, _really_ bad idea.

The heavy trailer the truck was transporting skid sideways and started compacting cars into one another, the screeching noise deafening even to humans. The kid on the street looked up and froze, the ball falling out of his hands and back onto the street.

"Move!" yelled Ray, already halfway to the kid on impulse, when her mind kicked in and noticed she was skidding. Only one thing to do. She grabbed the kid's collar and abruptly made him fall on his butt then pushed him with both hands as she fell flat on her stomach. Rolling on her back, she elbowed the ball away, which lodged itself under a parked car.

_That_ car was on the good side, not the bad side, it was on the left side of the street. The trailer who sent parked cars into one another was on the right side. Safe! Well, the kid and the ball that is.

The few people walking by in the snow stopped and stared at the school girl laying flat on the snow—more like ice really, it was really slippery—as the semi honked loudly over and over, desperately trying to stop his heavy load.

Ray's wide eyes stared as the truck kept getting closer and closer, all sounds drowned out by her own breath, seemingly frozen in her throat. Someone started shouting "Move!"

Or "Get up!"

Then someone gasped and pointed at something while the cars on the right blocked out the sound of the loud honking. Roughly being pulled out of her staring daze, Ray tried to see who had grabbed her, but then noticed the front tires of the truck right in front of her.

Then passed out.

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I know, I know... shorter than the first chapter. Don't worry, chapter 3's already written out. And this was the best part to cut at... I know, a cliffie. Sorry . But it would have been really weird cutting after that... Anyway! I hope it's still—somewhat good? Reviews highly appreciated! 


	3. Reality check, oh crap

I forgot to mention this before chapter two, but it made me really really really happy to see the number of reviews for the first chapter! I think I had about seven from five different websites. You have no idea how jittery that made me! And, hear this, because of that, I finished chapter nine! ... That's right, I'm all the way up to nine! It's because your reviews keep me going! But I generally don't update on a website if I don't get a review. Honestly, I forget, and the review is a reminder that says "Ding ding! Time to update!" So anyway, thank you and enjoy!

**Warning**: There will mention and gestures of rape, I'll put **- -Warning- -** before it starts.

**Disclaimer**: Same as always, weird ideas are _mine_ and Ray is Raysha's OC.

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**Chapter 3: Reality check, oh crap**

When Kurama opened his eyes, he saw gray. Since it was shining it actually looked silver, but he knew it was gray. It was hair. Quickly getting off Ray, he looked down at her and was glad she passed out. How the hell could he explain he created a portal at the last minute and fell through the street to land in Makai?

"What a mess." he sighed softly, shivering slightly. Oh yeah, Makai does get cold too. Forgot about that. And hopefully, it wouldn't start snowing—or else it wouldn't stop. Something melting on his nose made him look up and sigh in annoyance. "Great." he mumbled and picked up the unconscious girl, trying to find a hideout until the snow would stop.

Oh, just passed a cave. Rewind. Alright! It wasn't habited by a wolf, or a bear, or—simply put, a demon. Now that was lucky... Anyway, carefully putting down his neighbor, classmate, or arch enemy—whatever you wish to call her—Kurama then hurried to get some wood before it was too damp.

But it was already damp, so the fire took a long, long while to start. And he was getting cold. After all, his shirt was already wet from the snow Ray shoved in his shirt and then he had to dive onto the street... Sheesh what a day. He knew he had to hurry back to Ningenkai though, people had seen them on the street and if they didn't show up again... It'd be too weird.

Ah, now the fire had nice, warm flames so he took off his pink jacket, then his shirt and set them around the fire to dry. A soft whimper caught his attention and caused him to glance at Ray, who was shivering in her wet school uniform. Who wouldn't? With just a skirt and a long sleeve shirt in the middle of the snow...

Kurama smiled gently and scooted over to her, leaning against the wall as one hand grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, or more precisely against his naked chest. The unexpected source of warmth caused Ray to open her eyes and slowly blink the haze out. When she realized who was holding her and where her head was, a deep blush covered her face and she tried to pull away... to notice her head throbbed.

"Easy." chuckled Shuichi, pulling her back against him. It was warming him up as well. "You hit your head, better take it slowly." he said while brushing some hair out of her face to admire the blush.

"... Did I ever mention you why I hate you?" mumbled Ray, trying to calm her hectic heartbeat.

"I think you let it slip more than once." nodded Shuichi, still smiling.

"Well... whatever. You still look like a girl. And you sure don't act like a man." muttered Ray, closing her eyes to emphasize her final say in things.

"..." What could he answer to that? Hm, what if the answer wasn't verbal at all? Smirking, Kurama leaned forward as one hand pulled up her chin and he swiftly covered her lips with his for a brief moment before pulling away and acting like nothing happened.

Ray's eyes snapped open once again and this time she stared at him for a long time. "And just what are you trying to prove?" she demanded in a rather authoritative voice.

Kurama smiled innocently and looked at her—supposedly—in confusion, "I don't know what you're talking about." Then pinched the nerve on her neck to send her back into the wonder land that is unconsciousness. Her head slumped down on her chest, her hair covering her face once again. He put on his semi dry shirt and jacket and created a portal again, trying to appear in the same spot.

- - - -  
"There! Under the debris! I see some red!" shouted a voice as the sound of something cutting metal nearly deafened Kurama. Damn sensitive hearing. So apparently, that spot was a good one. It would appear as if they were stuck there from the start. Thank goodness. At least, everyone bought his story and was grateful they weren't injured in any way.

"No, she just hit her head. I'm fine." he said while pushing Ray's arm out the hole the firefighters had created to pull them out. After extricating her, he lifted both arms and was pulled out. What a day indeed.

- - - -  
Ray woke up in her room with one hell of a headache. She wouldn't have remembered the accident if it weren't for her parents hugging her until she nearly choked to death. "Mom—you're crushing me." she muttered and tried to make her lessen her grip.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack! I'm so glad Shuichi was there, you could've died!" sobbed her mother, resuming another death hug.

'_... So I guess—it wasn't... all a dream._' thought Ray, remembering the stray kiss... Arg! What was she supposed to do now!? Obviously she should avoid Shuichi, but dude... how was she supposed to go back to school?

Speaking of which, back to school was probably more like entering the new Hollywood center of fame. People Ray never spoke to stared at her everywhere she went, and the few friends she had obviously asked her tons of questions. Some guys even dared to talk to her, saying they would have saved her if they had been there.

Ray rolled her eyes after she dismissed most of the annoying fans, '_Liars. I know most of you to be cowards._' But even knowing that wouldn't make her change the way she thought of Shuichi. He had proven himself to be brave, and even manly in a way...

'_Stop! What am I thinking? As if... I'd never be interested in him!_' thought Ray, mentally slapping herself and pushed her feet to take her to her next class. Oh great... chemistry. What do you know?

Tilting his head to one side, Shuichi smiled as his lab partner sat down. "Hi there. Glad you're alright."

Ray turned her head in the opposite direction. "Yeah, whatever." she gruffly answered, earning glares from all over the classroom. Surprisingly though, no teacher picked on her today for either daydreaming or chatting. Interesting...

At the end of chemistry, while packing up her stuff, Ray noticed a folded piece of paper. She lifted her head to see who left it there, but saw Shuichi walking out of the room. She read the note once, blinked, read it again and smirked. A date huh?

- - - -  
"What's with the note? Usually you're more forward than that." said Ray, closing the door to the boys' locker room. Slightly frowning at the silent answer she received, the high school girl stepped forward and looked left. It was strange that only the center aisle lights were on.

Something moving on her right in the corner of her eyes made her turn her head just in time to see a hand shooting for her face, then felt it covering her mouth as four more hands roughly pushed her against the door she just closed, making her slam her head against it. I bet that was on purpose, just to remind her of the accident.

"I wish you'd stop ignoring me, Ray." said a too sweet voice. Frowning, she stared at the form that seemed to be walking forward in the darkness. "Why won't you go out with me? I _am_ the most popular guy in the entire school."

The guy who was covering her mouth pulled his hand off and stepped aside, letting his "boss" stand in the spotlight... Well, just plain light. Anyway, it wasn't who she thought it'd be. But she could tell just by his voice.

"Ah, I should've known. Shuichi isn't usually this tricky, Yukio." said Ray, trying to sound confident. She knew she was hopelessly outnumbered though.

The blond guy smirked, "Not as smart as you let on." he noted and took one more step forward so that his face was two inches away from hers. "Now, back to business. I want you to go out with me."

"No chance in hell." spat Ray, now getting angry and having her fists clenching as a result. "You trick me here and expect me to do you favors? Dream on!"

"... I thought you'd say something like that. But you see, I am wanted by many other girls."

"Then get another chick who's interested damnit, don't drag me into this! And reality check: Shuichi's the most adored guy in the entire school _district_. Check the polls again."

**- -Warning- -**  
"Tsk." Yukio clenched his fist and slammed it right next to Ray's face. "Don't play smart with me." he threatened, "I have the advantage in this field." he grinned wickedly.

Huh? What did he mean? "What fie--" Ray stopped mid sentence when she felt a hand on her knee. Her mind froze. You **had** to be kidding. That asshole was planning to rape her at school!? Well just the idea of raping itself was disturbing and disgusting, but at _school_!?!

"That's right--" whispered Yukio, sliding his hand up her thigh slowly. Great, he had just gotten under her skirt.

"S-stop!" squirmed Ray, unable to break free from the two guys holding her arms. "Fine! I'll go out with you! Just—just stop!" implored Ray, trying to back away since breaking free wasn't an option.

Yukio's eyes smiled in a—very... strange way. "You heard that guys. She just consented." he snickered and grabbed her throat, pulling her backwards as his two friends pulled her by the arms.

"N-no! I didn't—" she whispered, not believing this was happening to her.

"I just can't believe you. Otherwise, tomorrow you'll just avoid me again. This will be proof that you're mine." and he caught her feet with his own, sweeping them from under her. Smack! There goes the head again.

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And... another cliffie. Sorry... . But I was actually considering cutting this way—way before. So... be happy? I know I'm asking for a lot... Reviews appreciated though! (If it's not too much work...) 

I just have to say, **thank you**!! To all those who reviewed, you seriously make my day! . And those on can no longer hide! I know some added them to their favorites and/or alert list. :P That also makes me happy. :D


	4. Is the apocalypse coming?

Oh-my-goodness! Would you look at the number of reviews I got? jaw drop I had to reply to 11 of you! o.o Not all from one website, but still! You amaze me! No, really! I really didn't think this story was going to be so—well, liked! So thank you thank you! Enjoy! D

**Warning**: The rape scene continues, and so does my warning except I won't put it at the beginning, I'll put it at the end this time 'k?

**Disclaimer**: I'm running out of—weird ideas... Um, plot's all mine (almost) and Ray isn't mine! But Kimori is...

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**Chapter 4: Is the apocalypse coming?**

The two friends—more like robots—tightly held Ray's arms at her head's level. They knew humans had less power there, it was a well known fact. Especially in self defense classes... And the third guy came in the picture again, holding her feet that she had been planning to use.

Desperately trying to move, Ray kept struggling as Yukio sat on her thighs, restricting her movements even more. "Don't squirm so much, it'll just make it harder on you." he said knowingly.

Her mouth opened in horror of her reality, and Ray started trashing madly, screaming for help in a high pitched voice she didn't know she had.

"Shut up." hissed Yukio, mercilessly plunging two fingers into her mouth, making her gag and almost throw up. Pulling them out with a cold face, Yukio glared at her. "That was just a warning." And he started pulling her shirt up, his eyes shining with pure lust and absolutely no love whatsoever.

Coughing, Ray whimpered softly, her eyes moistening as Yukio pulled her shirt all the way up to her shoulders, revealing her dark blue bra. Suddenly, they all heard the sound of a door opening. "What's going on here?" asked a familiar voice.

Thank kami, she was safe! "Nothing." sneered Yukio, quickly standing up with his pawns, "We were just fooling around." and he walked out, glaring at his arch nemesis.  
**- -End of warning- -  
**

Even though she was shaking, Ray managed to push herself on her knees and quickly pulled down her shirt, her arms wrapping themselves around her stomach, her head bowed down.

"... Looks like I came at the right time..." said a soft spoken voice Ray used to despise, until now.

Shuichi kneeled next to the trembling girl and gave a small smile, gently pulling her chin up, wiping the bit of drool she had on the side of her lips from gagging, but he didn't know that. "Let's go." he said softly and stood up swiftly.

A hand refrained him from going anywhere though. Blinking—completely clueless—Shuichi looked down at Ray's hand that had grabbed the bottom of his shirt. "Wha--"

"I thought—" she whispered, still not looking at him. "I thought—he really was going to rape me." she said even more breathlessly. Ray shivered and let go of his shirt, hugging herself dearly. "I wasn't able to do anything." she continued, her voice betraying her eyes: she was crying.

Shuichi's eyes softened and he kneeled next to her again, putting a hand on her back to comfort her. "I was scared..." she said, her voice resembling that of a ghost, "... So scared." she sobbed, both hands going to her face to wipe the unshed tears.

"It's alright... it's over now." he said soothingly and tried to pull her up on her feet... Failed. Guess she was heavier than she looked... Or—maybe she just couldn't walk. "Can you stand up?" Ray shook her head, her body was still trembling, frozen in fear.

"Come on, I'll take you home..." said Shuichi in a gentle voice, offering his hand to help her up. Ray made no answer, the only sounds heard being hiccups and sniffling.

How strange is fate? Ray was now relying on the person she used to hate, doubt and badmouth the most, yet—there he was: gentle and affectionate, caring like no one else. Could it be, that maybe he sensed that her hatred was mostly self directed?

- - -Three weeks and a couple of days later- - -  
"Don't forget to bring your bags at 7:30 in front of the gates, the bus will wait for us there." reminded the history teacher as he put his files in his bag. Tomorrow was the big field trip everyone was so excited about: they were going to visit the famous Mount Fuji.

Many enthusiastic whispers started buzzing as the bell announced the end of the day. Apparently, there was a lot to do over there, like getting lost in Aokigahara forest at the base of the mountain... Maybe they'd even run into ghosts of goblins, or maybe spirits of those who committed suicide. (1)

Ray rolled her eyes, "Such nonsense. You'd only see spirits if you truly believed in them, not so that you can just say 'I saw a spirit!' and boast about it." she sighed, walking past a jittery, blabbering group of girls.

They all snorted at Ray's comment and chattered among themselves, most of them fed up with her "arrogant" attitude. Yukio stepped in their circle, "I seem to have overheard some kind of plan..." he smiled like a play boy, making all the girls go insane and nearly drool over themselves. Of course Shuichi was number one, but they could never, in a million years, refuse anything Yukio asked.

And so, an evil plan was plotted... More like, concocted by Yukio's genius in duping people. After arriving at the hotel they were staying at, students were told they had 30 minutes to get ready before they went hiking. Of course, there was still snow; it was—after all—still winter, and you're visiting a mountain. That spells out s-n-o-w and cold.

- - - -  
"Oh wow... it's absolutely gorgeous." breathed out Ray, wiping her forehead while staring down at the top of Aokigahara forest. The sun reflected on the pines and the little snow the trees supported made for a magnificent shot. Too bad she didn't bring a camera. Speaking of snow, it had been bugging her for the last half an hour. It kept bonding to her hair and melted slowly, but she liked the fact it made the ground shimmer.

"Yes, I've always heard of Mount Fuji's beauty. But hearing and seeing are two entirely different things." chimed in Shuichi, smiling at the forest before glancing at Ray.

Containing a mocking snort, Ray smirked "Well, of course... I'm sure you say the same thing every morning in front of the mirror."

Twitch. "Ray—" started Kurama, his smile frozen on his lips.

"Uh oh." muttered Ray, quickly glancing around her. Um, could anyone help? He was about to go insane and mess up her hair with snow _again_. "Uuh—no! I mean—I don't want snow in my hair! Not again!" she pleaded, clasping her hands together as if praying.

To let her off the hook or not, that certainly **was** the question! (2) A small smirk danced on Shuichi's graceful features, "Hmm..." he pondered slowly, taking a small step towards her. Taking his gazing daze off the mountain back to her, he grinned widely, "No."

Squealing loudly, Ray made a run for it and quickly dashed away from him, putting a good distance between them. Better sliding in the snow than being tortured by that—girly guy. Speaking of snow, there goes her balance... "Ack!"

Hearing some light snickering, Ray looked up and saw a group of girls staring at her. A few were laughing silently but recomposed themselves and looked at Ray as if expecting something. Blinking slowly as she stood up, she looked at the group. "Why are you staring?"

Awkward. "Well—it's just... We know you're more athletic than any of us... And—Kimori just lost her backpack down there." frowned the brunette, looking at her hands nervously.

"... So?" Ray lifted her eyebrows. If they needed help, why not spell **and** spit it out.

"Well—" started Kimori, "it has everything in it... My money, my camera, even my makeup and some clothes." she made a sad face, avoiding Ray's face as if she was inferior to her.

Sighing loudly while rolling her eyes, Ray brushed off the snow her jacket had collected. "Fine, whatever. You'll owe me one." she took her own backpack off and set it against a funny looking rock.

"W-wait! I mean..." coughed the brunette, "You wouldn't want your jacket to be torn to shreds right?" she smiled amiably. Ray stared at her and blinked. "We'll keep it for you. We know you won't be long. You're skilled." she smiled widely.

Sighing once again, Ray unbuttoned her ski jacket and handed it to them. Why, she had no clue but they were right: it _was_ very valuable to her. Besides, if a pocket ripped, her wallet would be lost to the wolves. A lot of good _that_ would do.

"You better not steal anything." mumbled Ray, looking down before she started descending the slippery rock. The group of girls smirked but appeared to look worried as Ray kept climbing down the mountain. "Are you sure it's down there? I don't see anything..." '_Why the hell am I helping them? Sheesh, I swear the world's spinning backwards..._' she thought while continuing her downward trek.

"Yeah, it fell right through the trees." shouted Kimori, gesturing to her friend behind her to take the snow off her backpack. So much for a 'funny looking rock.'

"... Ok... I'll go a little farther then." replied Ray a bit louder, keeping her eyes glued to the rocky surface her gloveless hands clung onto. Yes, gloveless. Could you imagine rock-climbing with gloves? Heck no. (3) It seemed her memory was bad at remembering to bring _and_ wear gloves.

Kimori's brunette friend snickered quietly in her glove and gestured to the group to grab the rocks they had prepared. All buried under snow of course, less conspicuous. "One... two..." she whispered, swinging her arm loosely, "three!" and they all threw the rocks down the side Ray was desperately trying to stay glued to...

(1) I'm not making it up, I looked it up online but of course, it's Wikipedia, so don't expect 100 percent accuracy. But since I'm too lazy/busy to do "real" research, I'll stick with it.  
(2) Aaahh I've got to stop with the Hamlet references... But it's such a fun play to make fun of!!! ... Anyway...  
(3) Sarcasm sarcasm (cough cough)

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I actually had to write part of this! That means, the next chapter is all work... not simply editing to see what fits in a chapter... Um, well... I hope it's still as good as you expected it to be... Might get a little confusing... Tell me if it did... Reviews still appreciated:D 


	5. Danger: cliff ahead

o.o So many reviews—again! I'm amazed! I adore you all, devoted addic—fans! And for those of you wondering about the lemon, it shall not happen until later chapters (not before ten). So, enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: Kimori is mine—still—but Ray is—still—not mine. The plot, as always, is all mine.

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**Chapter 5: Danger: cliff ahead**

"Have you seen Ray?" asked Shuichi, slightly short of breath, his face red from the cold wind whipping against his face.

The girls shook their heads, their lips stretched into hopeless loving smiles. Kurama sighed softly and nodded, "Thanks anyway..." and he walked on. '_I could have sworn I heard her voice..._' he thought, leaving the group of girls gathering their belongings.

Kimori smirked, "Let's not forget." she snickered and kicked Ray's backpack off the edge. Down the cliff it goes. Good bye, fellow backpack.

"Nor this." added the devious brunette, throwing the jacket down the cliff to smile contently when she saw it being stuck on some pine branches.

"Now, let's go back and tell sensei." smiled Kimori, walking on in front of the group, the snow crunching under each step. Since it was snowing heavily, it took about ten minutes for their footsteps to completely disappear.

"Is everyone here?" shouted their teacher, an arm on his forehead to try and lessen the impact of snow on his face. The harmless snow falling from the sky twenty minutes ago had somehow transformed into a full scaled blizzard. The students walked in rows of three, or else they'd have trouble just taking a step forward.

"Sensei—!" shouted Kimori, putting on her anxious face, "Ray slipped off the edge!"

The teacher's eyes widened, his mouth opened but no sound was heard—mostly because of the wind. "When?"

"Just when we were walking back." replied Kimori loudly, trying to cover the howling of the wind.

Biting his lip, the teacher had to make a decision. Make all his students freeze to death to find one who was—most likely— dead by this time or go back and go look for Ray when the blizzard lessened in intensity? They were way too high on Mount Fuji to survive any kind of fall. "Head back for the bus!" cried the teacher, using his hands to project his voice.

Kimori led her little group towards the bus that would take them down and back to the hotel, a smirk plastered on her lips. Mission accomplished. Success rate, probably 100.

Meanwhile, you might wonder what Shuichi made of this discovery? At first, his eyes widened and his heart nearly skipped a beat. But he quickly recomposed himself and decided to ditch his classmates to find Ray. He knew she was clumsy at times, but to "slip off" a mountain? I don't think so.

Using his inhuman speed and agility, he hurriedly jumped out of sight from the class and retraced his steps, squinting to find any little clue for Ray's footsteps. Not working. Drats, maybe he should use his acute sense of smell. But the snow replaced any smell with that of water.

Cursing, Kurama decided to rely on his eyes, his perfect vision should be able to spot anything—unusual. Trailing back to where he first lost Ray, he walked the path he saw her run until she vanished from his sight around the corner. There, he stopped and kneeled down, remembering he encountered one fan group of his.

A peculiar sound caught his attention and made him look towards the flapping fabric in a tree, some feet below. '_Her jacket?_' Now that was an interesting discovery, he knew for a fact she'd never take it off in the middle of the snow, especially on a mountain.

She had said so herself, once before, as a little girl, she had nearly died in a blizzard and now refused to disperse her one survival clothing: her jacket. So... why was it flopping in the snowy wind? Frowning, Kurama carefully examined the cliff below his feet. It was slippery, yet manageable to climb down.

Slowly and carefully, Kurama followed Ray's trail—completely oblivious that she had taken this very same path. A cold, high speed gust of wind nearly ripped Kurama off the side of the cliff and he had to hang on with one hand before deciding this was taking too long and, glancing behind him, back flipped in a tree, grabbing onto a branch to stop his fall.

- - - -  
Groaning in pain, Ray forced her eyes to open slowly. This was really uncomfortable... Attempting to raise her head, she felt her lower body move into thin air before slipping off the branch she had landed on. Coughing some snow out of her mouth and shivering intensely, Ray once again urged her eyes to open... Only to shiver more at the sight of all that snow.

Trying to stand up, she grunted loudly, feeling something out of place in her thoracic cage. '_Must be—a broken rib..._' she thought, clenching her teeth, using her right arm to push her numb body in an awkward sitting position. Dizzily, the gray haired teenager gazed up at the tree she just fell down from. Looking through the thick branches, up, way up, she could distinguish the cliff she thought she recognized.

Slightly squinting, Ray gave up. '_... There's no way I survived that fall..._' she thought dizzily, a black veil blinding her momentarily. '_I'm so—tired..._' Numb from the cold, Ray's body started shifting to the right, nearly collapsing when she snapped her eyes open. "Who's there?" she whispered before cringing, one hand holding her ribs in pain.

There it was again! That soft whisper playing in the wind... "... nd up." repeated the soft spoken voice. But Ray was too exhausted and in too much pain to pay attention. "Stand up." echoed the voice, making Ray look at that—little girl!?

Where the heck did she come from!? "Stand up." she whispered, looking down at Ray who forced herself up, only to bite her lip and quieting a yelp. Her ankle—her left angle **must** be fractured if it caused so much pain.

"This way." whispered the small girl, gesturing for Ray to follow her. Blindly obliging, Ray stood up and leaned against the tree, limping after the intriguing, yet soothing, girl leading her through the forest. "Hurry." urged the mysterious guide. Strangely enough, she was dressed in white and seemed to blend in perfectly with her surroundings.

Dragging her left foot in the snow, oblivious to the drops of blood tainting the snow, Ray breathed heavily, using the trunks of trees as support to keep going. She couldn't feel how cold she was, she couldn't feel her hands, or her face, or even her bleeding wounds. The cold erased everything, as if to clean everyone of everything. Here, in the snow, you were born again.

The glowing guide stopped in her tracks at the sound of a body collapsing. Turning back, the nameless guide observed Ray losing her grip on reality and surrendering to the world beyond human awareness.

- - - -  
Back to our heroic, agile Kurama who was trying really hard not to slip off a branch, or lose his balance. He still had a way to go. He had to admit, as optimistic as he was, he seriously began to wonder if Ray could still plausibly be alive after such a fall. He wasn't even half way there and he was already breathless!

After another twenty minutes of battling his way through branches and dropping a good hundred feet, Kurama finally touched the ground! Standing up and brushing strands of hair out of his face, he slightly gawked at the beauty a true blizzard could have even in a forest such as Aokigahara, who's frightening reputation kept the tourists away—for the most part.

Kurama began glancing around for any sign that might indicate Ray had survived, or was still there when an unusual glow caught his attention. '_Is that—a melody?_' Shielding his eyes with one arm, Kurama walked towards the soft singing voice, nearly falling forward when he stepped into snow as deep as his knee.

A sudden gust of wind from below made him look up and his eyes slightly widened when they momentarily stared at a transparent figure. Blinking away the snow, he looked again, but no one was there. He took another step forward, shivering at the damp cold against his leg. What else should he expect? The snow melted and was absorbed by his pants.

Squinting, he took a couple more steps, slowly and carefully as to not fall over. What was that gray string the wind was playing with? His eyes widened when he saw deathly pale skin, closed eyes, drops of crimson blood, and blue lips nearly buried by the snow. "Ray!?"

No way! Kurama hurried towards the frozen body and tripped over something under the snow, falling face first. Pushing himself out of the—obviously—cold snow, he stayed on his knees and blindly reached in the snow in hopes of grabbing Ray.

And tada! What do you know? He miraculously grabbed her—hair? Digging like a dog, Kurama shoved the snow off Ray and now grabbed her arm, pulling her up and out of the snow that was holding her down, as if the Earth was her coffin.

"Ray—" he said softly, pulling her to him. She was freezing. Freezing to death.

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Sorry for the shortness... I was sort of—lacking ideas to continue this chapter and I thought this would be a great cliffie... Don't you hate me now? ... Don't answer that, it was rhetorical... Wait-- on second thoughts, don't hate me! And don't kill me! If you kill me... I can hardly update... . 

I appreciate constructive criticism or simply reviews... I have to say, you lot of reviewers are awesome! You simply make my day every time I read what you wrote:D


	6. In the face of snow?

W00t, and here we are... Already on chapter six... Thank you thank you for sticking with it so far! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: What is mine, is mine. What isn't, belongs to the creators. Clear? Yay!

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**Chapter 6**: **In the face of—snow?**

"Don't panic, I'm sure we'll find them soon enough!" yelled the exhausted yet anxious teacher to a buzzing school crowd. "Now everyone, back to your rooms! We'll be notified if the search teams find anything."

A groan of complaint followed that announcement, yet the crowd reluctantly stomped up the stairs. Kimori anxiously glanced at her pack of accomplices. Yukio's disappearance _was_ part of the plan. Shuichi's was not!

"What are we gonna do?" whispered the brunette, her finger playing with her hair.

"Just shut up and no one will know we had anything to do with it. Besides, Yukio was right there! I'm sure he found her by now. He's gonna be on the front page tomorrow morning, just you wait." nodded Kimori, secretly hoping she was right.

What if she just killed a classmate? She knew that just by making Ray try to climb down that horrible mountain was an evil act in itself, but having her fall off it? Yukio's idea. Since Kimori adored him, there was no way she could refuse anything he asked. That, was one of those things. But now her conscience was battling her heart.

- - - -  
Chattering teeth, heavy footsteps, soggy clothes. Exhausted and freezing, poor Kurama was struggling to walk blindly—somewhere. He thought he could hear a soft, distant melody guiding him... Towards what was debatable, but he'd rather think it was safety instead of instant death!

With a nearly lifeless body weighing him down, Kurama's steps were heavier and longer than they should be. Besides, the snow wasn't helping him, sticking to his shoes and pants, trying to immobilize him into a pure coffin.

"A bit longer." sang the soft voice. Ah, Kurama caught a glimmer up in a tree. Strange, something really was there.

Each breath froze Kurama's throat and lungs, and each time he exhaled, a puff of white smoke would disappear into the frigid air. Squinting, the exhausted fox demon thought he perceived an opening at the base of Mount Fuji. That could help keep the battling snow away.

The shimmering, white girl sitting on a branch close to the cave smiled and watched a shivering Kurama enter. Unable to feel his fingers, Kurama set Ray down as carefully as he could and rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them up and prevent his blood from freezing.

Speaking of freezing, the body he had been carrying was awfully cold and pale... "Ray?" he whispered softly and tapped her frozen cheeks, "Wake up Ray. You can't sleep in the cold. You'll die." he muttered and shook her until he acknowledged it produced no results.

His heart beat quickened. Could she already be—No. Why doubt now? He could've left her in the snow if he had been sure. Shaking the discomforting thoughts out of his mind, Kurama started rubbing the girl's arms energetically, trying to revive her by warmth.

Outside, the wind was howling, bringing in gusts of large and heavy snowflakes. Kurama finished rubbing Ray's arms and moved to her legs. He could tell her pulse was low just by her skin's temperature. Not good, really _really_ not good!

Suddenly, he stopped and perked his head up. Something just... echoed. Glancing around furtively, Kurama listened more attentively. Nah, it had to be his mind playing tricks on him. He was, after all, dead tired and it was about time to sleep right now. But sleep was the number one sacrifice when trying to survive a night in the mountains.

But wasn't there a legend about ghosts and goblins in caves? ... If Ray was awake, he was pretty sure she'd slap him playfully while laughing her lungs out at his stupid superstition. '_Yeah, she would do that._' chuckled a shivering Kurama.

He sat as far away from the opening as he could in order to avoid the glacial wind and wrapped his arms around Ray, trying to keep both of them warm enough to survive.

- - - -  
How long had it been? Five days? Sixty hours? Only forty five minutes!? Time sure was slow when you had nothing to do but fear sleep and death. Bumping his head on the wall he was leaning against, Kurama tried to focus on the pain, that meant his nervous system was still working, which was great.

However, he couldn't say the same for Ray. He had no idea how the hell to wake her up. Wandering thoughts brought up a puzzling fact: growing up, she was the only girl to scorn him while all the others drooled a pool a slippery juice around him. The first time he saw her, he remembered, he wondered if she was a demon because of her unusual hair and eye color.

But her spirit energy was normal, no need for alarm. Ray was just... a lunatic. Oh, no no—he meant, a rare person. Mhm.

Kurama started to shiver violently, unable to feel his arms and legs inside his coat. Uh oh. Not good! What was—that noise though? It seemed like a ragged breath of someone who had been running... or just walking in the blizzard outside.

"Finally," breathed out a male voice Kurama recognized from the far end of the cave. "Now where the hell did she go? She couldn't have gotten that far after that fall." grumbled the voice.

'_Yukio?_' thought Kurama, glad he didn't use any demon tricks to keep them warm.

Click. A flashlight casted a ray of white light in front of its owner, who was now screening the wall of the cave to make sure no one was in here. Or on the contrary, to make sure someone _was_ in here.

The light soon came upon the frozen Kurama and unconscious Ray. "Shuichi!?" gasped Yukio in pure shock before growling quietly. "What are you doing here?" he calmly asked once he regained his composure.

"Trying not to freeze to death, actually." honestly answered Kurama, tightening his grip on the freezing Ray.

Yukio blinked in his skiing jacket then grinned, as if a mischievous thought just popped in his head. "Why don't I give you a lighter, if you promise to leave immediately, without Ray."

Kurama blinked and tried to stop his teeth from chattering, "How about you just leave and go freeze to death on your own?" glared Kurama, seeing right through Yukio's deal. "She'll never like you. Whatever you do."

"Are you sure? Or are you just trying to keep her for yourself?" snapped a suddenly pissed Yukio.

"I'm sure. Especially after you cowardly tried to rape her at school." replied a serious Kurama.

Growling, Yukio took small steps forward, glaring at his arch nemesis, that ever so famous Shuichi Minamino! "If you know what's good for you, just leave, or get trashed." glared Yukio, wanting to be menacing yet failing oh so miserably.

Kurama stared at him unimpressed and simply grabbed both of his wrists around Ray's waist, signifying he wouldn't just abandon his neighbor and friend. "Fine." huffed Yukio, turning off the flashlight, "Don't blame me if all the girls scream in terror once I'm done with you." chuckled an overconfident macho.

In this case, Kurama has a major disadvantage: he's nearly frozen solid. Needless to say, his defense goes down and his chances of survival drop to slim. Yukio waited until his eye adjusted to the frigid darkness then stepped forward confidently, knowing where Kurama was sitting.

A black belt in karate, Yukio directed a round house kick straight at Kurama's face. The poor thing barely knew it was coming from the sound of it. Still, frozen as he was, he had little chance to dodge it in time. Yet he tried, and halfway succeeded; the top half of his head brutally got hit and he nearly went face first on the ground.

Good thing he had instincts. Kurama barely caught himself before he crushed Ray to death. But Yukio's attacks were too quick and as soon as Ray was laying on the floor, Kurama felt something hard hitting his chin, throwing his head back against the wall behind him.

'_Ugh_.' Kurama could taste blood in his mouth and he could swear his nose was bleeding too. What he wouldn't give to be able to summon his rose whip right now. Yukio kept attacking relentlessly, punch after kick, kick after punch, it never ended!

One particular hard punch in the stomach made Kurama cough loudly, quite a bit of bloody saliva dripped from his open mouth while he tried to gasp for air. Yukio grinned victoriously and grabbed Shuichi's collar, bringing their faces really close.

"Give up yet?" sneered Yukio, enjoying going mental when no one was around to blackmail him later.

"Not." coughed out Kurama, wiping his bloody lip with one frozen hand before kneeing Yukio in a place he was certain it would hurt. Yes, in between the legs, that's right.

Crying in sudden pain, Yukio let Shuichi go and kneeled down abruptly, both hands holding the sore area. Kurama sort of slumped on the ground and gasped for air, trying to think of what to do next. With frozen arms, he couldn't punch as strongly as he would otherwise. Yukio knew that and didn't have the slightest remorse about beating the crap out of him.

A sudden gust of glacial wind made its way inside the cave and made Kurama shiver violently again. Crap, if this kept up, he'd be an icicle sooner than he ever imagined.

Somehow, the cave was eerily quiet... Too quiet. What happened to the whimpering Yukio?

"Ugh—" Kurama felt an intense, sharp pain in the back of his skull and slumped down, almost covering Ray.

"Take that, you son of a bitch." spat a really pissed Yukio.

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That shall be all for now! Maybe I should back and count how many times I used "frozen" just for kicks... As always, reviews much appreciated. :) 


	7. Pale torpor

I can't believe the number of reviews keeps increasing!! You guys are so, so awesome! Love for you all! D

**Disclaimer**: I'm still poor, not known by the world and I suck at drawing. So, I own my characters, and the plot. That is all.

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**Chapter 7**: **Pale torpor**

Loud buzzing and voices yelling seemed to be the main reason Kurama woke up. In reality, it was because someone had wrapped two heated blankets around him. A tiny shiver ran down his back as he blinked his heavy eyelids open. Woah, the world sure was blurry.

It looked like the sun was coming out now, and by some unknown miracle the search teams had found them! Thank Kami, now they were safe. Well, at least _he_ was. '_Ray!_' Kurama nearly leaped to his feet but found he could only sit up because he was aching everywhere. His fingers didn't seem to move on their own and his hands felt like rocks.

"Come on come on, let's go! We wasted enough time, now let's get them to the hospital!" shouted a voice.

"Oh you're awake." said a much closer voice that Kurama associated with this black haired guy that just sat down in front of him. "Good lord, you're still cold." he muttered and added an aluminum blanket around the two heated ones.

Kurama wanted to speak, but his lips seemed to be glued tightly together by some solid, frozen... liquid? "Don't worry, we're taking your friend with us." he smiled encouragingly under his scarf. "Move out!" he called and another guy came running behind him with a stretcher.

"One, two—heave." and they both pulled Kurama onto the stretched, blocking his view of "his friend," whom he was extremely worried about.

Somehow, from being carried out of the cave and into the frosted morning, Kurama barely remembered Yukio had been there too. What happened to him? No! What happened to Ray once he was knocked out!? Gosh, this sure was giving him another headache.

He was in between conscious and that 'not-totally-there' state where the stream of consciousness basically thought of random stuff in the lapse of one second, except his lasted for the entire helicopter ride.

- - - -  
"Feeling better now?" asked a doctor, jotting some notes down on his clipboard. Kurama nodded, wondering where Ray was and how she was doing. Now he knew that the liquid preventing him from opening his mouth earlier had been his blood, and he was thankful they didn't have to amputate any limbs... Because he was sure they were frozen solid and almost turned blue during the lapse he was unconscious and when they were found.

The doctor left, probably to see Ray or Yukio, but Kurama was still itching with curiosity. Now he had the time and ability to ask how they were found. "How did you know where we were?" he inquired to the same rescue guy who was now relaxing in his room.

"Hm? Oh, well... We found a jacket on a tree in the middle of a slope... So of course, we sent a team with dogs down there once the blizzard died down. Then once it was over, we sent two helicopters to keep a look out for any traces of you." said the guy, removing the scarf covering half his face.

"The dogs picked up on something and we followed them to the cave, found all three of you unconscious and nearly frozen to death so we radioed the helicopters and they flew in, then we took you here." finished the guy.

"I see..." nodded Kurama and absentmindedly stared at the IV in his right arm. "What about Ray? Is she okay?" he asked, raising his head, his eyes full of hope.

"Who? Oh, the girl. Well, I think she's alright... She was just so cold we all thought she was dead." he shook his head sadly.

Kurama's eyes widened, "Is she?" he asked bluntly.

The guy lifted his green eyes, "Heavens no! We wrapped her in three blazing hot blankets and took her here first, you were in the second helicopter with the other guy."

The other guy... Kurama swallowed nervously, wondering what the blazes could have happened while he was out cold, literally.

"Can... I see her?"

The guy shrugged, "Not my call, I'm not the doctor... Why don't you call a nurse with that." he pointed to the remote attached to Kurama's bed before standing up, "Well, it's nice to see you're alive and well. So I'll be going now."

"Thank you—uh..."

"Kiyoshi." nodded the guy. And with that said, he walked out of the room, glad he saved more lives from that treacherous mountain and left without another word.

After calling for a nurse, Kurama was relieved to learn neither of his friends were in grave danger, although the girl was still in critical condition. Alive yes, but she seemed to be in a coma. "Can I see her?" he asked for the billionth time.

The nurse sighed with a smile, "You may. But you have visitors first." On her way out, the nurse opened the door and let the numerous Shuichi fans file in before closing the door behind them.

"Oh thank Kami you're alright!" sighed the many fangirls.

Kurama smiled slightly, "Thank you ladies..." He had hoped to be left alone though.

Kimori stepped to the front of the crowd and looked him over, "Did you get hurt anywhere?" she inquired worriedly. She decided that, if precious Shuichi was injured, she would exclude herself from the rest of the school and lead a solitary life because she could never forgive herself for such an impudent act.

"Iie, the cold did the most damage." he lied, knowing that his bruises from his fight with Yukio had already been healed during the night and just the blood had remained on his face. Kimori sighed in relief, not even thinking that if Ray was injured, Shuichi should be too.

"Now please, I need some time to rest." he lied again with a warm smile. All the fangirls nearly sighed dreamily but hustled out quickly to give him his much needed rest. Not. Kurama was becoming way too good with lying. Maybe good looks _did_ allow you to get away with anything.

Strutting down the hallway, dragging that annoying IV with him, Kurama stood in front of Ray's room and hesitated before going in. What if she lost some limbs? ... What is she lost something more important than a limb? Could she forgive him? Could he even forgive _himself_ if something _did_ happen?

Gathering enough courage to push the door open, Kurama stepped inside and was relieved to see the shape of two feet and two full arms under the double layer of blankets. The relief was washed away by worry when he saw the number of IV's that seemed to bind Ray into the bed, while a monitor kept watch of her steady pulse.

Sighing softly to himself, he wheeled his IV to her bedside and sat down on the edge, staring at her peaceful face. '_What if she doesn't wake up?_' he thought miserably. '_No, don't think that way._' he mentally scolded himself.

Gently, his hand took his friend's pale one and caressed it with his thumb. "Ray... I know you can—well, no, I rather hope you can hear me." he corrected himself with a small smile. "I... don't know what to tell you... Whether I'm sadder that you're not awake to yell at me, or that you're not awake so _I_ can yell at you for scaring me to death, quite literally."

Taking a short breath, his hand left hers just so that he could caress her face once. At least it was warm this time. "You better wake up by tomorrow, otherwise I'm leaving you here until you're 80 years old and when you finally wake up, you'll be too old to get a boyfriend." he chuckled to himself before letting his soft laughter die.

"... I'm sorry... if anything happened once I was knocked out. I know you probably don't know what the hell happened since you were out of it for the entire time. But—Yukio was in the cave and..."

- - - -  
"Take that, you son of a bitch." spat a really pissed Yukio, glaring at Shuichi's unconscious form. "Now be a sweetie and let me make something clear to my girlfriend." he hissed while kicking pretty boy off the frozen Ray.

Grabbing the unconscious girl by the hair, Yukio dragged her to the opposite wall and stared at her a bit. "... To wake you up or just tell you when you wake up." he debated, before rolling his eyes. It made no difference to him. "What the hell am I mumbling, she'll go out with me regardless." he smirked to himself.

"That is, if she doesn't want any embarrassing pictures to be published." he pulled out a camera from his jacket pocket. As Yukio put his hand on Ray's wet and frozen sweater, a howl echoed through the cave, causing the blond haired boy to jump.

"W-who's there?" he yelled anxiously, nervous blue eyes glancing everywhere. Another howl answered him. It sounded much closer though. No footsteps were heard, but a gurgled scream was lost in the howling wind. (1)

- - - -  
Gray eyes shot open at the sound of a scream. Gasping, Ray abruptly sat up and winced in the resulting throbs all over her body. Kurama nearly fell off her bed, not expecting any kind of response. "Woah there—Are you okay?" blinked a startled Kurama, looking at his frantic friend.

"Who screamed?" she inquired softly, laying back down because of the IV's. Shuichi frowned and glanced around once to make sure they were still in the hospital room.

"No one screamed." he blinked and looked at Ray again. Had she always been this pale?

Ray took a short breath, "Oh..." she exhaled slowly. "... Must've been a dream..." she momentarily closed her eyes, trying to remember what the dream was about. It felt—too real to be a dream.

"You need to rest." smiled Shuichi, now completely relieved since she was awake. As he stood up, he hesitated a second before bending down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "But wake up when I come back alright? You'll have me worry if you don't." he smiled and left her room to return to his own.

(1) For anyone who didn't follow that part, that was a flashback to let you know what happened inside the cave after Kurama was knocked out. For future reference as well. :

* * *

Alright! Another chapter! I was stuck the longest on this one I swear. Sorry if it was confusing, um... hopefully it wasn't all too boring. 

I just have to say, if you hate Yukio, you make me happy! That means I'm sort of good at writing a bad guy part... o.O And I have a feeling... that most of you feel my chapters are too short? (sweatdrops) But um, I can't help it! They're all ready! So, three more chapters after that one until I'm stuck...


	8. Merciful Hana

Happy 4th of July! Here's an update to brighten the mood even more! )

**Disclaimer**: I guess I can add to this now. I own any OC that you never heard of before reading this story. Should be clear enough, hehe.

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**Chapter 8**: **Merciful Hana**

"Are you sure you should be up?" asked an extremely worried Shuichi as Ray put on her sweater.

"Yeah, I feel fine. Really." she assured him, boring her eyes into his to make her point. Kurama gave up and raised both hands.

"Ok, whatever." he inclined his head then looked back up and saw her struggle to put on a jacket. "Wait, where are you going?" he inquired while helping her.

Ray smiled and had to cough softly to stop herself from chuckling. He was such a worry wart. "I just need to go take a walk..." she smiled slightly.

"Well you're not going anywhere by yourself. Look what happened last time." he reprimanded her like a father. Kurama looked up after he had put on his jacket and immediately felt sorry for what he had just said. "Aah—I didn't... I mean... I'm mad at myself, not at you." he tried to make that sad expression go away.

Ray didn't look like she was about to cry, but her gaze was so distant and detached from anything it made her look like a stranded angel among pitiful humans. With one blink though, it was gone and a smile spread on her lips. "Yeah, you're right. Silly me." she said while making a funny face by looking up at the ceiling from the corner of her eyes.

"Ray—"

"Let's just go... Ok?" she tried to smile but didn't quite succeed this time. Kurama nodded and held the door open for her, since she was, after all, walking with crutches.

- - - -  
Bzzz. Bzzz. "Hello?" answered Shuichi, not quite sure who would be calling him this early in the morning. "Oh... hi Kimori. ... Huh? ... Oh. Well no, we needed—a change of scenery. ... Yeah... Can you make up an excuse for us? ... Yeah. No no, that's good. ... Uh huh. Thanks. Bye."

"Well, Kimori just saved us from certain detention and being grounded." sighed Kurama, shoving his cell phone back in his pocket. "But are you sure you want to come back here? I mean... It might not be the best—"

"No. I need to know something." whispered Ray, walking slowly in the snow with her crutches.

The forest was still and silent as crystal. "Do you want me to carry you?" asked Kurama, glancing at the friend next to him. Ray just shook her head.

"No... I have to remember where it was..." she whispered, looking around with each new step.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"... When I woke up... after falling... I heard a voice and—" she stopped and smiled. It sounded crazy. Like the ghost of a little girl would really show up and try to save her. Puh-lease.

"I saw a little girl, humming and dancing in the snow." continued Kurama, looking straight ahead to purposely not see Ray's shocked expression. He wanted to assure her she hadn't gone insane or hit her head too hard when she fell.

"You... you did?" Kurama turned his head to face her and nodded.

"It's thanks to her I was able to find that cave... If it weren't for her, we'd both be dead."

"But you don't... believe in spirits, do you?" asked Ray, casting one quick glance at the red haired male, acting as if she didn't know what to believe when truly, she firmly believed in spirits that watched over others.

Kurama had to stop himself from smiling and instead, shrugged. "You never know what's real or what's not. Myths are always based on some kind of reality right?" he gave her a warm smile and stopped. "There's the cave." he pointed, trying to change the subject yet wondering how she'd react if she knew about his past life.

Ray stopped next to Shuichi, "Hai, this is it..." she murmured, then made her way up there with Kurama's help. Strangely enough, the surroundings looked too familiar. Yet she knew she shouldn't recognize this because, well, there was the minor detail of her being unconscious.

Setting foot inside the cave, Ray looked to her right and a torn image of Yukio screaming his head off flashed in front of her eyes. Her expression must have changed because Kurama asked her if she was alright.

"I'm—fine... I just don't... understand..." she whispered to herself and walked closer to where the dream indicated Yukio had dragged her.

"Understand what?" slightly frowned Kurama. He was really confused. Now she knew, and now she didn't.

"This—" she pointed to where Kurama had been kicked, "Or this." she pointed to a part of the cave where the mysterious beast that scared the crap out of Yukio had appeared from. "I know I shouldn't recognize anything, bu—but I do! It scares me! H-how can I know when I wasn't even awake?" she grabbed her head in between both hands, her crutches clattering on the ground, and scooted back until her back hit the wall.

Kurama blinked but walked closer to her and encircled her shoulders in his arms, bringing her into a comforting embrace. "Shh... it's alright." he cooed softly, "Maybe... your subconscious heard everything that was happening and your brain associated an image with it. Or—"

"No... No! I know every single detail!" she looked up into his eyes, her own wide in fear. "Where you were lying, bleeding, how your body was resting... How _I_ was lying there." she pointed to another spot.

Tightening his embrace, Kurama tried to think of anything else that could have triggered such a retention of information. Nothing came to mind though, unless... Licking his cold lips, he exhaled once and put a thumb under Ray's chin, making her look up at him one more time.

"This—might sound crazy... But frankly, it's the only thing that would make sense, if it actually does." he tried not to confuse himself. "But... what if, everything you saw—wasn't from your point of view, but from someone else's?"

Ray frowned in confusion, "Someone... else's? But no one was there besides you and Yukio! And I haven't—seen... Yukio since..." she trailed off.

Quickly changing the subject, Kurama interjected again. "Think back for a moment, we both saw that little girl, right?" Ray nodded. "Well... what if she had anything to do with it?"

Ray stared into Kurama's green eyes, her mouth slightly open in hope that he was right.

Sudden footsteps from outside made both of them jump, especially when someone pointed a flashlight inside the slightly dark cave. "Hey! No one's allowed in here. This area's off limits—" The person stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who was in there.

"Oh... it's you two."

Kurama sighed in relief. It was one of the guys from the rescue team. The one that he remembered. The one with the black hair, Kiyoshi. "What are you doing here?" he asked them, walking over to make sure they were okay.

"We uh—just..." but Kurama didn't really know what to say. If this was off limits, who knows what kind of trouble they were in now. Forget detentions, they could probably be arrested!

"We came to see if we could see a friend." cut in Ray, staring into the guy's dark brown eyes.

Kiyoshi turned off his flashlight and uneasily glanced sideways once. "A... friend?"

Ray nodded, "Yes... She saved our lives." she replied softly.

"She?" Kiyoshi's eyes narrowed yet he tried not to let them widen in surprise.

"Yes... A little girl in a white dress." answered Ray.

"Hana..." breathed out the older teen, covering his mouth as if to take back the word that slipped from his mouth.

Kurama and Ray glanced at each other. "You—know her?" inquired Kurama. If he knew her, then that meant she wasn't a spirit after all and they could properly thank her!

Kiyoshi sighed softly before nodding once, "She was my little sister..."

Ray's heart sank. _Was_. "So, she's no longer part of this world..." she sighed sadly.

Kurama shook his head, "No, she is. Her spirit remains." Kiyoshi looked up, a small smile on his lips.

"Yes... She died when she was seven. We were visiting Mount Fuji, like you, when she got lost and..." A ball of constricted emotion shot right up to his throat, preventing him from speaking for the moment.

"The rescue teams were too late." softly finished Kurama, looking down sadly.

Kiyoshi simply nodded once and swallowed his heart again. "I'm sorry... Every time I tell someone, I—"

"It's alright." smiled Ray, "I understand." she looked at him in the eyes, trying to prevent herself from crying.

"Is that why you're part of the rescue team now? Because of what happened to Hana?" Once more, Kiyoshi nodded.

"With her help, we find lost people and are able to save lives... She was always so sweet..." He could no longer keep it in, with a sob, the tears that had threatened to leak out earlier now freely raced down his cheeks.

"And she remains sweet and helpful even in death." smiled Kurama, "Hana, I know you're out there... I just want to say thank you. You saved our lives." he said, looking to the forest from the entrance of the cave.

High up on a branch, sat a little white figure, legs dangling over a branch with both hands holding onto it. A giant smile was plastered on her face, and the tears Kiyoshi shed resembled beautiful white rose petals.

* * *

As for the names: Kiyoshi means "quiet," and Hana means "flower, blossom; graceful, merciful." 

That's that, I wrote this the same I finished chapter 7! I couldn't believe it myself, it was like... almost 1 in the morning... But my creativity is so much better than during the day! Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews greatly appreciated, as always. :)


	9. Impeccable timing

Thank you all for reviewing and sticking with this! Tomorrow I'm leaving for my college orientation (I'll be going to UC Davis) and I'm coming back Tuesday night. So I won't be updating until Wednesday. / But in the meantime, enjoy this chapter:)

**Disclaimer**: I own my OC's (not Ray) and the plot everyone seems to enjoy. That is all.

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**Chapter 9**: **Impeccable timing**

"That still doesn't explain what happened though..." softly pondered Ray after picking up her crutches.

Kiyoshi wiped the tears from his face and took a deep breath. "You probably... won't believe it but—Hana calls on this cave's 'goblin' if you will." Kurama and Ray glanced at each other, that could probably explain why Yukio was pissing in his pants. Figuratively speaking of course.

"I believe they're friends... At least, that's what she told me."

"_Told_ you? How?" inquired a curious fox.

"She visits me when I sleep... She doesn't directly talk to me, but she shows me images of—things that happened." he nodded and glanced outside.

Kurama looked at Ray with a small smile on his lips, "Told ya." he nearly winked.

"You should go back. These woods are treacherous." advised Kiyoshi.

Both teenagers nodded and Kurama helped Ray walk safely out of there and on their way back to the hospital. "Thank you!" called Ray, looking at Kiyoshi over her shoulder. The older teen simply answered with a wave of the hand and sat down at the cave's entrance.

- - - -  
Comfortably sitting on her bed, Ray sighed softly. "He didn't say the entire truth..."

"What do you mean?" asked Kurama, sitting in a chair at her bedside.

"Kiyoshi. He didn't say that Hana used her friend goblin to scare Yukio." she looked into Kurama's eyes. "Not that it matters really, I'm just glad he—didn't do anything." she mumbled.

Kurama let out a big sigh of relief, "So am I. I would've had to kill him." he gave a brief nod.

Gray eyes wandered from his face down to his hands that had slightly clenched at the mention of Yukio's name and what he could have done. Ray couldn't help but smile at this tiny display of "tenderness" if you will towards her. "Would you really?" she asked him softly, slowly glancing back up into his eyes.

Kurama blinked, slightly taken aback and stared at her seriously, "Yes... Of course I would." he answered honestly.

"... What if I don't want a murderer for a best friend?" she tilted her head to the side.

Somehow, the words "best friend" seemed to pierce through Kurama's heart. "... Then I won't become one." he forced himself to smile convincingly.

Ray couldn't help but notice the slight change in his expression and looked down at the cast on her leg to avoid looking at him. "Well, you should get some rest... I'll come wake you when the class will leave for another trip." he smiled encouragingly and headed for the door.

As he was closing the door, he stopped short when he saw a familiar blond haired boy limping his way. Snapping the door shut resolutely, Kurama stood in front of it while glaring at the approaching Yukio.

Looking up as he stopped in front of his archenemy, Yukio sighed, "A good morning to you too."

"And just why are you headed this way?" questioned the protective Shuichi.

"... To see how Ray's doing." furtively answered Yukio.

"And if I don't let you in?" inquired Kurama, quirking up an eyebrow. What nerve he had! Plotting to have classmates succeed in making Ray fall off a dangerous edge, then trying to find her to rape her and now he wanted to see 'how she was doing.'

"I suppose—I'll just have to see her when you're not around." glared Yukio, leaning on one crutch. Somehow, he had sprained an ankle but he couldn't remember how or why. Actually he remembered practically nothing from after he knocked out Shuichi, besides being scared to death but he would never admit that to anyone.

"She's doing fine without seeing you." Hopefully, that'll get the message across.

"... Would you like me to tell the rest of the school how pitifully you were beaten up while freezing your little ass?" nearly hissed Yukio, getting beyond pissed.

"I'm not sure they'll believe you. I bear no mark of your weak punches." responded Kurama, hoping to somehow be able to explain why, if Yukio had the brains to register what he had said and ask.

"I can always inflict new ones." smirked the over confident macho, forgetting the slight detail of him wearing a cast while Shuichi was not.

Kurama had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes and opened this mouth to reply when Kimori appeared down the hall. "Yukio!" she called with a timid smile.

The blondie turned and looked at the approaching female, "What?" He sounded slightly irritated.

"Here—these are for you." she extended a box with a red ribbon on it. Yukio took the box and shot Shuichi his dirtiest look before walking away, Kimori on his heels.

Sighing, slightly relieved, Kurama turned around and opened the door he had just closed. Well so much for that, he wouldn't be able to be at ease knowing Yukio was lurking around. So, he'd just have to stay with Ray until she was awake.

Sitting once more next to her bed, his emerald eyes lingered on her cast. A thought crossed his mind at the speed of light. Should he? Glancing around the room to make sure no one was spying on them for—whatever reason, Kurama stood up and first seemed to caress the air above the cast.

Closing his eyes, Kurama directed spirit energy to his right hand before applying it on the cast, picturing his energy flowing through the skin and repairing whatever was broken. After about ten minutes, he moved his hand up to Ray's chest, not to be a pervert—quite yet—but to fix her broken ribs.

Another ten minutes later, he concluded he had successfully healed Ray and decided to sit down and let his energy come back to him slowly. Sooner than expected, Kurama found his childhood friend blinking and sitting up while yawning quietly.

"Had a nice nap?" he chuckled and sat back in the chair.

"Yeah..." smiled Ray, sitting up slowly only to blink. "Huh—?"

"What's wrong?" inquired Shuichi, trying to act surprised.

Ray put a hand up to her thoracic cage, "It—doesn't hurt anymore." she whispered, incredulous.

"Really!? That's great news! What about your ankle?"

Flinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Ray stood up hesitantly on both legs until— "It doesn't hurt either!"

Kurama tried really hard not to let a self-satisfying smile show. "I guess—miracles do exist." he smiled a tiny smile.

Voices outside the room made him stand up abruptly, even though the people were further away than he thought. Thank you for being a fox demon with acute hearing. "What is it?" asked Ray, taken aback at his sudden move.

"Yukio. He's coming. You've got to hide." he answered, grabbed her hand and hurried to the closet.

While one door opened, another closed at the exact same time. "Now where did she go?" grumbled an unhappy Yukio.

"You're squishing me!" whispered Ray, her hands flat on the wall behind her to keep her from falling. Although it would be hard to fall given there was a boy standing in front of her, and keeping her pinned to the wall.

This sort of situation calls for a flashback. '_Why did I ever think he was a girl?_' miserably thought Ray, clearly feeling something poking her lower stomach. Suddenly, everything about Shuichi seemed more manly. The way his shoulders stayed straight, the smell of his skin but especially—that muscular chest that covered hers.

'_Ah! Bad thoughts! Wrong time! Bad time for wrong thoughts!_' internally shrieked Ray, trying her hardest not to blush now, but that was hard. Cough, body heat, cough!

"Shh." hushed Kurama, putting his hand over her mouth, hoping Yukio's hearing wasn't nearly as acute as his.

"Damnit." cursed the macho cute guy, "Guess I'll have to swing by tonight." he mumbled to himself and slammed the door shut behind him.

Kurama sighed in relief and removed his hand from Ray's mouth, "He might not be gone, let's stay here for another couple of minutes." he whispered in her ear.

For some reason, feeling hot breath against her sensitive skin made Ray shudder slightly. Kurama took notice and tried to contain a smirk, "Something wrong?" he whispered again, a bit closer to her ear.

"N-no..." stuttered a blushing Ray. Hopefully, it didn't show too much in the darkness.

* * *

o.o Wow, I keep surprising myself. I write way faster during the night than during an entire day! ... How does that happen? Was it the cake? Hm, oh well. As long as it was good. :P Reviews extremely appreciated! 

Note: I think the next two chapters will make up for any wait you have to endure. But that's just my opinion, I'll need to hear from you guys of course. ;)


	10. Progress, is it?

I'm baaack! Sorry for the wait, but when I got back from Orientation I had to work consecutive days, even today. But I'm sneaking quickly in the hopes of updating. So—enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: As far as ownership is concerned, I own the plot, the OC's (not Ray) and—what do you know, the plot again. )

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**Chapter 10**: **Progress, is it?**

Very carefully, Kurama decided to press himself a bit more onto her on the pretext that he heard something. "Don't move." he whispered in her ear for a third time.

"W-what?"

Kurama slid down against her so that his head was at her thighs' level. "I'm going to take the cast off, since your ankle's fine."

Ray's face looked like it was burning. Thank goodness he was too far to see anything! She seriously thought he would—do something only a guy would do. But you know, she was glad he wasn't a hypocrite like that bastard Yukio.

Using a thorn from the rose he discreetly pulled out of his hair, Kurama cut down Ray's cast until he was able to slip a hand inside it and break it in half in order to pull it off. Then, very slowly and carefully, Kurama stood back up and stared at the gray haired girl in front of him.

If he kept that up, he seriously wouldn't be able to hide the growing bulge in his pants. So much for torturing Ray, he was torturing _himself_!

'_Aah! There it is again!_' And by that, Ray meant thinking of Shuichi as a very attractive guy, not pretty girl! Too close, way too close though!

Kurama couldn't help it, their faces were way too close to each other for him to ignore the feeling of Ray's hot breath against his skin. Slowly, his eyes still staring into hers, his face descended on hers, his nose touching hers before his lips closed the small gap that separated their mouths.

For some strange reason, Ray's stomach either did a flip or disappeared, or maybe both. It felt like a spark of electricity had just crashed on her lips, and her legs felt numb because of that. She didn't remember when, but her eyes had closed, although that didn't prevent her from swaying on shaky legs.

Kurama could feel the immediate effect his surprise kiss had on her and gently yet quickly, slid his hands around her waist so Ray wouldn't fall down and be separated from him. Very clumsily, Ray put her hands on Kurama's arms just to keep her balance, her fingers clenching the soft fabric of his sweater.

'_We're making progress,_' internally chuckled Kurama, '_now she won't see me as a girl anymore... Unless she's a lesbian._' But judging by her reaction, he'd have to say he highly doubted that.

Ray's heartbeat was erratic. Why was her first kiss with the guy she used to despise the most? And why were they in a closet, of all places!? But she couldn't lie: she wasn't exactly fighting the kiss, but she wasn't making it any easier for him either. Ray had only seeing couples kiss at school or in movies, she wouldn't know what to do if—

Crap. He did. Ray couldn't help the shudder from spreading all over her body when she felt something moist lick her lips. Was that his tongue!? Just the thought sounded disgusting, but somehow, with him pressing onto her, it seemed her body was on auto pilot because the next thing she knew, her tongue was being brushed by something soft.

By now, Kurama had put a hand behind her head to deepen the kiss while his other hand firmly grabbed Ray's waist. Not that she was about to fall given he was pinning her to the wall while trying to control a heat wave from controlling his body. Damn hormones, but he was provoking them.

Kurama was sucking on Ray's bottom lip when she started giggling and wriggling to get away from him. Abruptly ending the kiss, he looked at her in puzzlement. "What's so funny?" He couldn't help but lick his lips.

Ray tried to stop laughing but pulled his arm off her back and away from her waist. "You tickled me..." she finally answered after taking a slow breath.

Blink. "I—did?" Ray nodded and encircled her stomach with both hands just to get rid of the tickling sensation. Her sides were extremely ticklish. "No I didn't, not yet anyway." smirked the devious fox.

Ray looked up and froze, "No. Don't you dar—" the rest was lost in a high pitched squeal as Kurama's deathly quick hands were already tickling her sides she had weakly attempted to protect.

Struggling in a closet with no place to run, Ray had a real disadvantage. Doubling over, short of breath and laughing loudly, she finally lost her balance. Her head connected with Kurama's shoulder as she fell forward, pushing him against the door.

Naturally, a simple door cannot hold two humans up unless they're leaning on it on the opposite side. So, of course, Kurama stumbled backwards, the doors flew open and his back hit the floor rather brutally, but the part that hurt the most was the girl falling on top of him.

It seemed all the air was knocked out of his lungs as the laughing stopped and everything went silent after a rather loud thud. In the midst of things, Ray's left elbow was digging into Kurama's sternum, her face conveniently fell right next to his while her left leg inconveniently rested in between both his legs.

Blinking slowly, Ray took slow breaths to regain the oxygen Shuichi had been depriving her of. About to stand up, Kurama nearly whimpered. "Please—don't move." he begged.

"Why?" frowned the gray haired girl, not really paying attention to the way their legs were intertwined.

"Let's just say... don't apply pressure with your left leg." replied an exhausted Kurama. It was really tempting and inciting. '_Not the time to have perverted thoughts._' he caught himself but found it really hard not to when an attractive girl was laying on top of him.

Still clueless, Ray glanced down at her left leg. Instantly, her face was consumed by a tenacious blush resembling a wild brush fire in a particularly dry summer. "I—um... Don't—I'll move." she stammered and placed both hands on either side of him to support herself as she moved her leg off his sensitive male part.

Just as Kurama was standing up, a nurse entered the room. "What are you doing up? You should be resting!" she rushed to get Ray back in bed when she noticed the cast was missing.

"I'm fine... It feels normal." said Ray casually, trying not to burst out laughing from the nurse's face. Of course it was hard to believe, but maybe it wasn't as bad as the doctors thought.

"What about your ri—"

"Perfectly fine." assured Ray with a nod.

"Is it alright if we go back to the hotel now?" asked Kurama, exhibiting no sign of illness or pain. The nurse was at a loss and utterly puzzled.

"Uh—um, well—I don't..."

"Thank you." smiled Kurama charmingly, grabbing Ray's left shoulder and pushed her through the door, leaving the poor confused nurse to herself.

Hurrying down the hall, Kurama found the exit and walked through it with a slightly confused Ray.

"Why are you in such a hurry to get out? The night's falling anyway."

"Trust me, it'll be safer out of there." he replied, thinking of Yukio's evil ways. He had already knocked him out once, he didn't want to take a second chance. Who knows what he was capable of to achieve his goal, but Kurama sure didn't want to find out.

Jerking her hand free from Shuichi's grip, Ray stopped and stared at him. "What's gotten into you? We're not even dressed properly for cold weather!" she protested, already shivering. Their jackets from this morning were still in the hospital. She sure as hell wasn't ready to relive the freezing adventure.

"That doesn't matter. We'll make it back to the hotel before we can't feel our fingers. Now come on, we're wasting time." replied a slightly worried Kurama, grabbing her hand again before walking.

Now that they were outside, he could sense something he didn't like. In the hospital, it had been Yukio and—something else. But now, it was just the something else.

"Where are you going? The hotel's this way!" shouted Ray, pointing to the opposite direction in which Kurama was headed.

"I know... This—is a shortcut." '_To your safety._' he mentally added, trying to think less of the something else he had detected. Was it coming from the town towards them or was it coming from the forest towards them?

Regardless which direction it was coming from, it didn't seem to have good intentions towards whom he guessed was Ray. Since that thing didn't seem to feel human, the safest place to drag out a possible battle, without involving any innocent bystanders, was Aokigahara.

* * *

Aah! I feel like I already said too much! This is a bit shorter than usual, and I apologize... Hopefully the chapter was entertaining enough. If not—well, you'll just have to wait regardless. ; Want to make me happy and write faster? Reviews highly encouraged! (It's almost like blackmail—except not) :P 


	11. Damn luck

Readers, thank _DamnBlackHeart_ (and Raysha too, but she helps all the time P)!! Without her, this chapter would have taken a lot longer to write and it would have been one of two ideas... But now, it's a combination of both! I'm so happy!!! ... Too hyper, sorry. cough

And I apologize for the delay! Harry Potter night was... awesome yet tiring and long. I got off work at 3 A.M. and went to bed at 6 for I had to start reading it... Then I had to work again the next day and came home and finished the book. Then I was cozily sitting at home, working on chapter 13 and a manager calls me and—crap I had to be at work! ... So then I was running and didn't have time to update. :( Hopefully you'll forgive me?

Also! I'm amazed at the number of reviews this story is getting! oo Reviewers, thou art **awesome**!

**Disclaimer**: For an accurate disclaimer, refer to chapter one. Otherwise, I own the OC's and the plot.

* * *

**Chapter 11**: **Damn luck**

Huffing and puffing, Ray tried to discern where this shortcut was leading and somehow, realized that she was only getting further away from the town than anywhere close to it.

"Stop—bullshitting me!" she finally yelled, yanking her hand free once again.

Kurama stopped abruptly, short of breath, his flushed face staring at Ray over his shoulder. "We can't stop now." he said in between breaths, "It's not safe."

"Oh please. What isn't safe? The fact there's no one around to make sure we stay alive? Or do you just want me for yourself?" replied a shivering Ray, realization hitting her like a rock. She could see Shuichi looking at her dubiously. "You thought I wouldn't notice?"

"What are you talking abou—"

"I've been pretty gullible." cut in Ray, her cheeks red from the cold wind. "Oh I really did think you meant everything." she nodded to herself, trying to contain her seething anger.

Kurama frowned, what the bloody hell was she talking about?

"I have to say, you were _always_ there in the nick of time. The accident, the—lockers, even here, in the freezing blizzard." She looked around and raised her arms to either side of her as if heaving the falling snow. "There's no one here. It's very convenient." She let her arms fall to her sides in a loud slapping noise. "You've been in on this from the very beginning, just to gain my trust."

Now Kurama's eyes were wide in bewilderment. "What!?" he breathed out, anger replacing surprise.

Ray nodded, turning on her heels, "There's no one here!" she repeated, keeping her back turned to him. "What danger could we possibly be in!?" she screamed, almost staring at him over her shoulder, her fists tightly clenched.

He couldn't tell her, he really couldn't... Even if she doubted him for being a perverted bastard, he couldn't tell her the real reason he stranded them from the town. Koenma would kill him, but Ray would probably call the asylum.

Just as he was about to answer, a loud growl made him freeze in his tracks. Looking to his right, he frowned; unlike Ray who's eyes instantly widened. As if choking, Ray seemed to cough her next sentence. "You've **got** to be kidding me."

Kurama looked at her from the corner of his eyes and saw her sigh, "Goddamn, freakin' luck!" she swore under her breath. Regardless, the fox still heard.

'_I didn't think she even knew curse words..._' nearly chuckled Kurama before realizing this situation had nothing funny about it.

Standing six feet away was a—strange mountain lion. '_White eyes? This one's not normal._' Apart from the abnormal eye color, the mountain lion had a tiny head and the eyes sure weren't proportionate. Not only the head, but the legs were too long, large and strong. Besides, the fur was a mix of dark brown and black. No mountain lion had this kind of fur.

Glancing one more time at Ray, Kurama realized she was petrified.

Crunch. Turning his stare back to the hungry mountain lion who had taken an impatient step forward, Kurama could only do one thing. "Run!" he yelled, snapping Ray out of her scared trance at the same time the freakishly big mountain lion lunched forward.

Ray only took two sideway steps. Her gray eyes fixed the surreal battle scene, her head barely shaking from side to side as it trying to convince herself this wasn't happening. Instantly, all her doubts about Shuichi were gone. Washed away by instinct. What a fool she had been to doubt him and his honesty.

All her life she had seen him exhibit pure truth, almost like an honesty policy. Except for the glitches regarding the fan club, that at least, Ray was understanding of. If he was blatantly honest to them, he would be the most hated guy on the planet and many girls would shed tears for all eternity without finding another true love the rest of their lives.

A scream snapped Ray back to reality once again. Gasping, she stumbled backwards and landed on her butt. Shuichi was wrestling with a humongous mountain lion that had sunken its teeth into Shuichi's flesh who was now losing liquid as red as his hair.

Cringing, Kurama weakly brought his leg up under the mountain lion and kicked the starved animal off him. Meowing loudly, the demented animal flew sideways, its clawed paws trying to hang onto its prey and thus ripping Kurama's clothing and skin from his left shoulder down onto his stomach.

Turning on his wounded stomach, Kurama held his bleeding right shoulder and attempted to stand up. Clenching his teeth, his brain was already racking up all strategies to get rid of this—thing. He still wasn't sure what it was. It wasn't a normal animal, it had a certain energy signature but it emanated a feeling of revenge.

The mountain lion turned his—face!? His growl somehow sounded like a laugh, and his paws now had fingers. "Dinner puts up a fight." he licked his lips before chuckling, his voice distorted between a high pitched voice and a low one. Creepy, his skin looked like fur! Wait—it was still half fur! Furry dark brown and black skin. Ew.

Ray stared at the—_person_ with claws incredulously. "The—mountain lion... is a per...son?" she muttered to no one in particular, her hands clutching the snow beneath her fingers.

White eyes turned to her, a wide smirk plastered on an ugly face. "You're dessert." _it_ snickered and returned its hungry stare to the bleeding, appetizing Kurama.

Kurama was bewildered; if that thing was a demon, why didn't he sense him before!? And since when did demons live in mountains in Ningenkai? He had no choice, if he was to fight a demon, he'd have to be one to defeat him, regardless of consequences. Letting go of his bleeding shoulder, Kurama reached inside his hair and froze, his eyes widening.

Ray looked at him, confused. What was he doing? This was no time to make sure his hair looked good! He was about to become something's dinner!

'_My rose!_' Why wasn't he able to summon it!?

The demon in front of him snickered and let his freakishly, abnormally long tongue hang from his mouth like a dog salivating. "What's the matter? Powerless?" the demon laughed like a hyena before lunging forward again, wanting to sink his long fangs into Kurama.

Rolling sideways, Kurama barely dodged his attacker, letting his foot slam into the demon's face, before standing up hurriedly, leaving red stains everywhere. Breathing heavily, Shuichi stood in front of Ray protectively.

"Shuichi—" whispered Ray, still not completely registering the fact that something not human stood in front of them and that, even injured, he still protected her.

The demon shook his hairy head and stood, crooked, on his two legs. "You taste good... demon." sneered the real demon.

Kurama frowned, this certainly wasn't the way he expected to tell Ray, if he ever intended to tell her anything. "How did you know?"

"That boy's hatred for you heightened my senses." replied the demon, crouching slightly.

'_Boy? Who is he talki—_' "Yukio." he finished quietly, clenching his fists.

The demon cackled, "I don't give a shit about that rat. I'm just glad his anger brought me dinner." And without giving Kurama any time, he sprung from the ground and was onto Kurama before the latter had any chance to move.

Pinned to the ground once more, Kurama blocked the demon's mouth with his arms, very well aware that the sharp teeth tore through the sweater as easily as through his skin. Trying to summon his spirit energy one more time, the fox demon yelled when his enemy's jaw clamped tightly around his right arm.

Without spirit energy, this fight's winner was clear. Somehow, that second scream of pain seemed to have opened something new in Ray. "Shuichi!" she yelled, standing up abruptly, her legs now fully functional and alert, adrenaline rushing through her body.

Glancing up at the frightened girl, the demon smirked, which only sank his fangs deeper into Kurama's arm. "Damnit—" whispered the latter, wanting to punch his enemy's lights out, but knowing that pulling his arm out of the mouth would probably be the same as chopping it off.

Aw, a human wanted to fight for the one she cared about? How _sweet_. Just that thought made the shape shifter want to puke. What a disastrous idea! Wanting to save someone from certain death was like—defying fate! No one can escape destiny, especially when you're on a date with her. It wouldn't be right at all to dump her.

"Ray—" panted Kurama, straining to keep the demon off him while somehow restraining him from chasing after his friend. "Get the hell away from here!" he finished, slightly out of breath. "Run back to the hotel!"

A strange fire lighted Ray's eyes, "No chance in hell." she answered in a whisper and quickly bent down to grab a stone she had spotted earlier. "Get away from him!" she shouted to the—_thing_ biting Shuichi.

The demon, always welcoming fresh meat, widened his smirk and let Kurama's arm slide out of his bloody mouth before his abnormal tongue licked most of the red liquid up. "Watcha gonna do, girly?" growled the demon, crouching slowly.

"I'll kick your ass." affirmed Ray, readying her right hand with the rock. She had always been a good pitcher in baseball. This would be a good time to show off her athletic skills, ne? Even though she sounded confident, Ray had yet to think of a way to, somehow, defeat that horrid, putrid, smelly thing that looked like a ragged sock.

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Hooray! I finished! Not... as spotless as I wanted it, but I think it underlined the basis. Please tell me if you didn't understand anything, that way I can clear things up in the next chapter (even though it's my original intention). Reviews always warmly welcomed:D 


	12. Life matters

Random note: the title has two meanings, but I don't expect anyone to—totally get it. I myself don't even know why I wrote that... . But if someone can tell me the two meanings, I'll get them a Kurama plushie! If not, ignore this!

Here is the next chapter, at last... Um... Yeah, I'm mad at myself because I didn't write the words for the perfect ending, but no worries, I still have a couple more chapters to go. :P As for the lemon, it'll happen very soon!

**Disclaimer**: As always, I own the OC's, descriptions, obscure thingies, and... the plot!

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**Chapter 12: Life matters**

Snarling with joy, the demon fixed his creepy dark face on Ray and slowly stalked forward. Suddenly uncertain, Ray stepped back at each forward step that monster took.

Left in the tainted snow, Kurama caught his breath back and attempted to stand. Succeeding for about ten seconds, the fox's legs swayed beneath him before he crashed back into the welcoming snow. '_Losing... too much blood._'

Taking off his torn sweater, Kurama quickly ripped pieces of it to bandage the deepest wounds, mainly where he was bitten: his arm and shoulder.

Meanwhile, Ray had unavoidably backed into a tree and was now trapped. The ugly, crooked person like thing cackled and licked his lips clean of his previous victim's blood. "Delicious..." he let out in a breath, already imagining how soft the girl's skin would feel against his palate.

'_Oh... shit!_' Ray started to shake. '_Damnit! Stupid fear!_' But even cursing at it won't make it go away... As the demon jumped, mouth wide open, Ray's legs decided to go numb for a second at the same time her hand let go of the rock. Yelping shortly, Ray snapped her eyes closed, awaiting the pain.

Somehow, the pain imagined wasn't quite the same as the pain received. Cracking her eyes open after being knocked in the forehead, Ray saw two dangling feet right before her eyes. Without so much as giving it a second thought, Ray hurriedly scooted sideways until she was far from the tree onto which the thing was—sucked onto?

Had the situation not been so serious, Ray just might have burst out laughing. The demon in his anxious jump hadn't expected his prey to duck at the last minute and hence ended up a tree hugger! ... By that I simply mean his obnoxiously long fangs got stuck in the bark. Hippies nowadays...

Anyway, while the demon tried to extricate his mouth away, Ray half ran to where Shuichi was. "Oh my—Can you walk?" she hurriedly asked, wanting to get the hell away from here.

Breathing heavily, Kurama accepted her hand to stand up. "I'll be fine..." he breathed out. "Why didn't you run away?" he glanced at her.

Ray grumbled incoherently, slinging his arm over her neck. "Who the hell would?" she finally mumbled, glancing at him as if pouting. "You saved my life... ne?" She gave him a small smile.

"Yes, but not so you could lose it." he nearly scolded, but he was too tired to chew her out completely. "You should've run away." he sighed before wincing as Ray pulled him up again.

"Oh hush. I'm fine, aren't I? Besides, I have a right to make decisions. It is _my_ life after all, is it not?" replied a currently hot headed Ray, trying to hide her shaky legs.

About to reply, Kurama had to shut up when an infuriated howl whipped them both back to the real problem here: a stinking demon, ex-hippie.

"Okay. Now I'll take your word for it!" yelled Ray and started running away, half dragging Shuichi along down a snowy slope. The sun had now almost completely disappeared and left only but a remnant of its yellow light on the far away mountains, as if giving half the Earth a protective halo.

Large drops of blood made sure that the teenagers' escape route wasn't secret, but rather very obvious. Hence, the demon followed.

While fleeing, Ray tried to keep her mouth shut, but somehow just couldn't. "What is that thing anyway?" she asked, already out of breath.

"You wouldn't—believe me if I told you." replied Kurama, trying not to wince as they slipped off a rock, nearly sending them back on the ground.

"Just spill it!" breathed out Ray, glancing over her shoulder to see the furry "human" still pursuing them, rather angrily too.

Momentarily biting his bottom lip as he tripped yet again, Kurama also glanced behind them. "A demon." he let out softly.

Wide gray eyes stared at him. "Watch out!" But it was too late, they had both missed a root slightly sticking out from under the snow and were now half rolling half sliding down the rest of the slippery, snowy slope.

For the second time that day, Kurama felt an elbow dig into his ribs and knock all the air out of his lungs. "Ow ow ow..." whispered Ray, holding her head as she sat up, not realizing she had once again landed on him.

A hysterical laugh brought their dizzy attention back to their pursuer: the same demon bastard. Who else? "Ready to be eaten yet?"

Ray gulped but tried to act tough, "As ready as I am to fail my entrance exams. Not!"

Kurama blinked dizzily, the blood loss was starting to seriously affect him. He tried again to produce a rose, and failed. He tried one more time, but it was another failure. '_Why won't it—_'

"Don't bother. I've sealed your powers away." nagged the demon in excitement. He hadn't had a wild goose chase in a very, very long time. And for our sake, let's just call him Taro, demon tends to get repetitive, even though he is one.

Barely frowning, Kurama didn't even ask how it was possible, he could probably conjecture something and be right. Right now though, he had other priorities. Like, getting out of here alive and preferably in one piece.

"I don't want to be a pest Shuichi but... Why are we here?!" she asked in a loud whisper, hugging her arms.

Avoiding her gaze, Kurama stared at the demon closing in on them. "I thought... You'd be safer outside the town... away from Yukio." he added the last part as an afterthought.

Blink. "Oh... so that's it. You're—_jealous_?" she frowned, not seeing why the hell he should be jealous of a bastard.

A surprised look caught her off guard, but surprise was soon replaced by astonishment. "_Jealous_? Why would _I_ be jealous of a no good jerk!? He has a twisted mentality that leads him to break the law—"

"Ok ok! I get it!" cut in Ray, raising her hands in front of his face. If he wasn't jealous... could he just be—concerned? "Thank... you." she muttered, looking down at her hands that were now on her bent knees.

A tiny smile almost made its way across Kurama's face, but Taro interrupted _yet again_. How rude! "I don't mean to—well actually, I _do_ mean to interrupt your cozy little chatter; but could you just stay still and let me eat you?"

Kurama turned a glare towards that arrogant, loud mouthed, smelly demon. "Oh but of course, as long as you drop dead within your next step." sarcastically shot back Kurama. That demon was seriously pissing him off; but without any help from his demonic powers, slim were his chances of defeating his opponent.

"Oohh, misguided anger. Tsk tsk." smirked Taro, waving a clawed finger in front of them, "Now your friend... _He_ knew what to do with it." Taro's white eyes flashed red. "Directed solely toward you." He tilted his head until it was forty five degrees to the left, his wide eyes locked onto the red head.

"Beautiful, burning hatred. If I ever find that kid, I'll thank him before eating him." snickered Taro, licking his hairy face with his long pointy tongue.

Ray started mumbling to herself, counting down on her fingers when Taro hissed and yelled in apparent agony. Kurama stared at the—strange reaction. What caused this? The answer seemed ridiculously simple. Too simple in his mind. '_A puddle?_' he frowned.

Taro hissed loudly and backed away, cradling his left foot as if it had been cut off. Ray interrupted her counting and looked up, puzzled at the strange behavior of the ugly humanoid beast.

Quick witted Kurama figured every demon had a weak point, well, most lower classes anyway. Was... snow—? No that was ridiculous, that demon was living in snow all year long. But at this altitude... The snow tended to melt faster, and they had gone quite a way downwards.

Tilt. A light bulb just exploded in his brain, he had so many ideas to get rid of the demon... But how many would work? Pushing himself up, Kurama grabbed Ray by the wrist, "Come on... We have to go." he said breathlessly.

Nodding, Ray stood up on shaky legs. She couldn't believe she had been almost so terrified that she felt like peeing her pants. Could you blame her? Something inhuman wanted to eat her! ... For dessert nonetheless... Regardless, she felt a little safer by Shuichi's side, yet her brain completely omitted the moment earlier when she heard—not registered, just heard—that Shuichi was also a demon.

Kurama relied on his nose and hearing now, if he could find a source of water big enough to drown that demon... or maybe just deep enough so that he could keep his head in... They _might_ stand a chance.

"Are you any good in sports?" inquired Shuichi softly, trying to conserve his energy and breath, yet he needed to know in order to come up with a conceivable plan.

"I always got first place in gymnastics..."

Fair enough. "That works..." The darkness and blood loss nearly caused Kurama to run into a tree. Fortunately, Ray saved his beautiful face at the last moment.

"Watch where you're going. Sheesh." she reprimanded without really meaning it. She couldn't really scold him, he was injured... That's right! He was still bleeding! How did she not notice before that he was still standing with such injuries?

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Well... at least I finished it! I had major writer's block on this one. Wish me luck for the next chapter... :D 


	13. Faint perceptions

Title: I meant it like... "Life matters" as in it's important and we should value it. But also life "matters," as in life... "stuff..." I totally get it if it doesn't make sense though. _duckichan87_ won the Kurama plushie, she's the only one who guessed so... bow to her! Haha, not...

Again with the title, it's um... meant for one tiny detail of the end ish... so, I now have a Kurama keychain to who can tell me (as close as you get) to what it refers to! Be specific, yet I'm not expecting anyone to get it really since... it's very abstract... and not necessarily mentioned... Be creative?

**Disclaimer**: Once again, the (apparently) wonderful plot is all mine (mostly) and the OC's are mine, except Ray.

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**Chapter 13: Faint perceptions**

"Got it?"

"Yeah yeah, I got it. I'm not dumb, remember?" smirked Ray, trying not to shiver in the cold night. How Shuichi could still move with those injuries and the cold was beyond her. He only wore a torn long sleeve shirt and makeshifts bandages made with his ripped sweater.

Shuichi smiled with his eyes, "Hai. I do know, you're my competition." he reminded her. Yep, that was true. She was always second to him, or sometimes third because of that nerdy guy—Kaito.

Gray eyes looked at Shuichi's burning green orbs, "Are you... certain about this?"

Nod. "You can't hesitate. Trust me, it'll work." a gentle smile graced his lips, which Ray could barely see in the profound darkness. Ray sighed but followed his instructions and carefully started climbing a tree.

Kurama followed her movements in the dark for a while before starting to move himself, hearing Taro not far behind. It was only a matter of time before he was found out. After all, his blood did smell delicious, it was a rare breed.

Positioning himself on a snowy rock, Kurama glanced around before laying down as if he had been abandoned. Very soon, Taro's step crunched in the snow, his large nostrils sniffing the air until his mouth opened in anxious anticipation. He had found one!

Circling his fallen prey silently, Taro licked his lips. He couldn't wait to taste that demon blooded fool again. He could hear Kurama's shallow and painful breathing, yet thought he heard someone quietly. Brushing it off as a small animal, Taro finally moved closer to the immobile, injured demon.

Soon, very soon his hunger would be satisfied. Kurama tensed slightly, trying not to open his eyes. He could feel the demon approaching and prayed he had not felt Ray's presence. Hopefully, the smell of blood covered everything else.

However, he couldn't help but gasp loudly when he felt two clawed hands suddenly grab his shoulders. Snapping his green eyes open, Kurama stared in horror at the drooling white eyed demon holding him down firmly. "Found ya." snickered Taro, his drool dripping on Kurama's shoulders.

Kurama could feel the claws digging through his clothes and nearly piercing his skin. '_Come on Ray..._' he cringed, trying not to moan out in pain.

Meanwhile, observing the scene from the tree nearly above the rock, Ray clasped her hands around a branch, having made sure to brush off the snow before the demon appeared. She hoped this reckless plan would work, if it didn't, they were both dead.

Her warm breath came out in small silver clouds as she hurriedly let herself hang from the branch, much like in a gymnastic competition, and quickly started swinging herself until she had enough swing to nearly reach the demon's head. '_This time, it'll hit._' she thought and concentrated on the reach of her feet.

As she swung forward though, Taro decided to take another bite of his weakened prey and caused Ray to miss. '_Shit!_' thought Ray as Kurama cried out in pain. He was helpless. With his powers locked up inside of him, his arms restrained and the amount of blood he lost, he couldn't possibly kick off his attacker again.

Since Ray had enough swing, she bit her lip and swung herself all the way over the branch, the complete 360 degrees, slightly wincing when her legs smashed into the branches above. Yet she did not stop and used all her strength to push herself forward until she found the perfect angle and let go.

Kurama didn't know what happened, one second he was desperately trying to push a demon off him when the next, he heard that same demon yelp when something hit him in the ribs. That something however, did not land next to him according to plan. The something was still pushing the demon towards the frozen lake, unable to stop.

Weakly, Kurama pushed himself so as to roll sideways and fell on his right side, next to the rock. Through blurry eyes he could see the demon crash through the ice, yet could not believe that second body fell right after him. "Ray..." muttered a cold Kurama, crawling towards the lake's bank.

This was not happening. That wasn't part of the plan! She was just supposed to kick the demon on the ice and then both of them would throw rocks at the ice in an attempt to shatter it... Or something like that. But—but her falling in was absolutely out of the picture!

"Ray...!" he called weakly, hoping—praying that by some miracle, she was still alive, although he knew that falling into a frozen lake was pretty much suicide.

- - - -  
Battling against the frozen, closed hands around her throat, Ray tried to kick her way up to the surface. Yet the weight of that dead demon was dragging her down. Just after she had fallen into the water, she had felt the clawed hands gripping her throat tightly and now, she found it almost impossible to remove them.

Seeing the last of her air bubbling up to the surface, Ray felt despair grip her entrails. She couldn't die—what about Shuichi? ... Shuichi? What about her mother!? Somehow, she felt her foot kick something hard and suddenly she felt lighter. Weakly paddling like a dog, Ray moved her frozen limbs and finally inhaled sharply once her head burst out of the glacial water.

Glancing down while coughing some water, she noticed the demon sinking further and further. Ray couldn't care less, now she—somehow—had to make her way out of the water and back to the bank where Shuichi was waiting... Her teeth chattered, she was sure her lips were dark blue or purple.

Raising her heavy arm out of the water clinging to her, Ray managed to put her elbow on the ice and tried to heave herself up, praying the ice wouldn't break. Barely succeeding in lifting half her chest out of the water, Ray heard a soft crackle. '_S-s-shit._' Even without talking, her mind stuttered due to the cold.

Before she knew it, the ice she had been relying on to keep her afloat was shattered, and she almost sank again. Fortunately, one of her frozen hands grabbed onto the fragile edge of the hole created when she had successfully killed the demon. Quickly, too quickly in fact, Ray lost any feeling left in her muscles and thought she was a piece of wood, just floating there.

Although she had no idea how long she was would stay afloat. Barely able to move her legs now, Ray could feel herself sink lower and the water welcomed her. Slowly, her eyes closed and her legs finally froze in mid movement. As her head entered the water though, something sharp seemed to coil around her wrist.

The pain made her jolt and open her eyes. Strange, the feel of the water on her clothes and skin seemed to diminish until she was completely pulled onto the nearly shattering ice. Opening her tired eyes, Ray seemed to distinguish a figure with feet under the red ice... Red sticky hair...

With a soft gasp, Ray's memory fast forwarded everything since that mountain lion had appeared. "S-s-shuichi..." she whispered and attempted to move.

"Don't move!" he yelled tiredly at her and kept pulling her across the frozen lake, trying to ignore the fact he couldn't feel his feet anymore.

A small, sad smile stretched across Ray's rigid, blue lips. "A-always... t-t-there..." she whispered and let her head fall on the arm that was being pulled, but kept her eyes open.

Kurama struggled to pull on his rose whip faster. It seemed, no matter how fast he pulled, it was never fast enough! As for his rose whip, you might be wondering, he was right. He had conjectured that when the demon was killed, his powers would be released. Right he was, as always.

Even though it was a really bad idea to summon his weapon when his spirit energy was so low, he had no other choice. He couldn't let Ray die for God's sake! Finally, _finally!_, Ray was within an arm's distance from him, hence he discarded his rose whip quickly and tightly gripped Ray's slightly bloody wrist. Actually, it wasn't all that bloody since her blood was cold and moved slower.

"A-a-arigato..." breathed out Ray, attempting to stand up.

Kurama was slightly taken aback she was still conscious. Tenacious woman, but in a good way. He thought for sure she had fainted, but it was better this way, at least she wouldn't die so easily.

"Thank goodness..." Supporting Ray against him while putting an arm around her wet waist, Kurama awkwardly stepped back and finally shivered intensely from having ice water all the way up to his ankles. But then what about Ray? Her neurons were practically tiny ice cubes right now so it didn't make much of a difference.

Falling on his back, with Ray on top of him for a third time, Kurama coughed and laid still. He had no more strength, it was cold and he was weak. His vision made the dark snowy world look like a giant eraser had smeared everything so that everything overlapped in the shadows.

Starting to shiver, Ray tried to move and somehow, couldn't. Her eyes were open and she saw Shuichi's pale face. "S-shui-c-chi?" she muttered, oblivious to the fact it was pitch dark and the only reason she could see his face was that hers was so very close to his.

Owls started hooting in the distance, close to what Ray assumed to be the town. How long had it been since they ran out of the hospital? Were people looking for them by now? Had her parents been notified that she was sent to the hospital in the first place?

What a fun trip this turned out to be. She had almost died once and now, she was pretty sure she was about to die, but for good this time. For who in their right mind would walk into Aokigahara in a freezing winter night?

Sadness suddenly gripped Ray's entrails and refused to leave. For some reason, she felt like crying. Maybe it was because she had escaped nearly dying again? Or maybe it was because her neighbor and now best friend was dying and not responding? Or maybe it was that she felt useless all the time, and every time she was in trouble, he had magically been there...

What could she do to repay him? He had done so much, yet never asked for anything but her friendship in return. Maybe she owed me an explanation as to why she hated him... or why she didn't hate him anymore.

Unable to move, Ray thought she heard footsteps somewhere nearby and tried to turn her head sideways, yet barely succeeded. She felt her grip on reality lessening, and as she lied there, awaited deliverance from the cold.

Her head fell on Shuichi's bleeding shoulder and her eyelids drooped, until she saw nothing of the trembling ray of light...

* * *

I'm not sure how confusing the entire "kick-the-demon-off-Kurama" scene was, but if someone wants me to draw it out on paint and put it on photobucket or something, I can do that and hopefully that'll clear up the confusion. :) 

So there you have it, I made slightly longer and um... yeah... oh crud, it's a cliffie again isn't it? Meep! I didn't mean it!!! Um, any reviews and/or constructive criticism highly encouraged and warmly welcomed:D

Join the fun in guessing what the heck the (chapter) title refers to! Good luck to you all, you'll need it. :P


	14. Freezing beauty

Title: I meant it as... um, like, when Ray's head was on Kurama's shoulder, she could faintly feel his heartbeat yet paid no attention to it... things like that?

Note: I think... I forgot to mention I was leaving for France on August 20... I'll be gone until September 8. Sorry guys!!! Maybe if I finish chapter 15 before that I'll... send it to myself and update from there or something... if not, I beg you to be patient. ( The update will be worth it... since it'll be the lemon. :P But, if you're too impatient, I guess you'll have to spam me with reviews and that'll make me write (even abroad)...

**Disclaimer**: I still don't own anything, except maybe things to take with me to college... Besides that, OC's and the plot. That is all.

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**Chapter 14: Freezing beauty**

Something warm... Shudder. Weighted yet rushed footsteps, heavy breathing. Blood was pounding against Ray's skull as she opened her eyes. Abnormally pale hands, almost blue, were dangling right below her. Wanting to touch those hands, Ray made to move her fingers and noticed the fingers in front of her twitched.

'_Those... are my hands?_' Now that she thought about it... it seemed the ground was above her head... Or was it that she was facing the ground?

A small grunt made her realize there were legs moving, which she hadn't seen because she was so fascinated by those glacial hands. Everything made sense now. The warmth was caused by someone's shoulder and it had defrosted her insides first, which then spread throughout her body, although she still moved clumsily.

The person carrying her stopped and leaned his other shoulder against a tree when he felt Ray's stomach slightly contract. "You're awake?" he asked breathlessly. It seemed he had been overexerting himself.

"Hai..." answered Ray in a raspy voice.

"Good, I'll make you walk now if you don't mind... We're not too far from it though, you should survive..." said the familiar looking person. In the dark however, Ray's guess was as good as yours. If you know, don't say it! Sh!

Anyway, her "savior" let her on the ground and only then did she notice the unconscious Shuichi in the flashlight's small beam. "Oh..." curse words were lost in her mind, "my goodness..." she added after a short pause. "Is... is he alright?" she inquired even though she could guess the very obvious answer.

The lad had two deep wounds in addition to minor scraps, he had lost too much blood, had his feet frozen _and_ used the remaining of his spirit energy to summon his rose whip and save her. But Ray could only see the obvious, she had no idea about his weapon or the mark it left on her.

"We need to hurry." said the familiar voice and picked up Kurama's feet, carrying him bridal style yet again while clutching his flashlight in one hand. Somehow, seeing Shuichi this weak made Ray feel remorse and sadness. His face was slightly bloody, she hadn't noticed her clothes were too, and his head was tilted back, his red hair hanging freely.

Had she not known any better, Ray could have thought he was sleeping... Yet she knew he wasn't. Well, not technically. "Hurry to where?" It had finally registered. Ray hugged herself as she clumsily followed in the footsteps of the person carrying her friend, trying not to shiver to death.

She thought she could feel something pricking her eyes like invisible needles trying to make her cry. Was it the cold? Yes, it had to be... She didn't want to admit she felt guilty about causing her friend these terrible injuries.

But besides the fact she was still wet and frozen and walking in snow, life was peachy. Not like they were stuck in the middle of a forest after having being attacked by a "fairy tale monster" that really shouldn't exist. I mean demons don't exist, that's just a fact of life. Demons in people yes, but actual demons on their own... Um, no.

Kicking a creaky door open, the person gently laid Kurama on the ground before fiddling around in the dark. Then—a dim light turned on. Ray's tired, cold eyes slightly widened as she recognized their savior. "K-k-kiy..."

"Wait here," huffed Kiyoshi, pulling out blankets from a closet, "start a fire, I'll go get help." And as he said that, he shoved some matches into Ray's pale, frozen hands. Kiyoshi pulled his scarf all the way over his nose so that just his eyes would show. "And take off both your clothes, you'll freeze otherwise."

The door slammed shut, and he was gone. "F-f-fire..." repeated Ray, her teeth chattering as she attempted to move towards the fire place. She could see the wood waiting to be lit, yet her strength suddenly seemed to disappear and the room tilted upside down as her face slammed on the wooden floor.

Her body was still frozen, hence she hadn't felt the impact of her fall. Her clothes clung to her side, wet, frozen and seemed to want to fuse with her rigid skin. Her teeth started chattering again as her eyes rested on Shuichi's perfectly still form. She had to at least take his clothes off—or else he would freeze to death.

Forcing her tired body on her knees, Ray crawled to Shuichi and started tugging his cold, bloody, sticky long sleeved shirt off. She wasn't halfway done though when a violent shudder rippled through her body. Her fingers were shaking so much she didn't even notice she had dropped the box of matches Kiyoshi had given her.

Failing in removing Shuichi's shirt, Ray slumped back down on the ground, her head right next to Shuichi's lifeless arm. She could feel her lungs tightening even more because of the cold, and she wondered warily how long she had until she'd black out.

Her eyes closed, but she didn't take notice; the room had been dark to her even though the small light gave it a cozy feel. It felt as if she was sleeping, yet her cold face could feel the hard wood beneath her cheek. However, she didn't notice when the arm moved away from her head.

Kurama sat up, shivering slightly and blinked the haze out of his eyes. He could still feel his wounds, but his powers had returned to him so they were already healing. Glancing around, his green eyes stopped and stared at the person laying perpendicular to him, nearly widening at the color of Ray's skin.

"R-ray..." he whispered, noticing his shirt was half tugged off one arm. Quickly discarding the cold, useless shirt, Shuichi stood up as swiftly as his healing wounds would allow. Swift glances around the room told him lighting a fire would be the best idea for a start. So he gathered piece of crumbled newspaper and found the matches on the floor.

He was about to light the first match when Ray's shallow breathing stopped. Her (still) blue lips tightly sealed together by the remaining frost, her face (still) red from frost bite. Kurama's eyes widened as he stopped making the fire. "Don't you die on me." he whispered and found himself instantly at her side, flipping her on her back so that he could place both of his hands on her chest to apply CPR.

After giving her mouth to mouth a couple of times, Ray coughed and tried to open her tired eyes and barely succeeded. She did, however, manage to take short breaths that burned her throat and lungs. Kurama sighed loudly in relief, "Thank goodness." he muttered and looked down at her worriedly, his face about the same shade as hers.

Trying to part her frozen blue lips apart, Ray managed to mutter "C-cold... so... c-c-cold." as her teeth chattered.

"I know, I'm working on that." replied Kurama, hurriedly crawling to the fire place to light a match. He then very carefully placed the tiny flame under a newspaper and sighed in relief when he saw the fire starting up like it should.

Ray shivered, trying to move her frozen arms to rub herself but found it extremely difficult. Who wouldn't? Try to warm yourself with numb muscles. It looked like she had used all her remaining energy walking in the snow to get inside the cabin and then attempt to warm Shuichi first without caring for herself. Well, it showed.

Kurama yanked a closet door open and felt relief gush through him at the sight of two wonderfully warm blankets. Before he took another step though, he needed to rip his saggy pants off. They wanted to glue themselves permanently to his sensitive skin. That's a no.

Relatively quickly, Kurama slid out of his pants (and shoes) and went to Ray's side, not even stopping to ask her to take off her clothes. It was a matter of minutes, and the quicker her clothes were off, the quicker she would be warmer and away from death's door.

Ray barely paid attention to what he was doing, but her eyes seemed to notice and stare keenly at his bare chest. Somehow the fact that his wound wasn't bleeding or looked a couple days old didn't register at all. What can I say? ... Nothing really, hot guy says it all.

Slightly hurrying now that he felt even colder without his clothes on, Shuichi unbuttoned Ray's pants and pulled them off her freezing body. Her skin was frighteningly pale but his was rigid. Hell-o, freezing to death doesn't feel pleasant now does it? Nope. Didn't think so.

Alright, now that he had semi unfrozen himself, Shuichi grabbed a blanket and placed it on the ground in front of the warm crackling fire. Slightly smiling at Ray, he gently grabbed her under the arms and pulled her towards the fire place. The exhausted female teenager gave a tired smile and closed her eyes, shivering in her underwear.

Kurama couldn't blame her, he was still freezing himself! Now imagine yourself in a cabin, freezing with another human being... and a fire. What's the best source of heat and comfort? ... If anyone says fire I'll personally smack them with a stick... Ok good. Human being! Correct!!

Grabbing the second blanket, Kurama settled right next to Ray and spread the blanket over both of them, one of his arm finding its way over her cold hip.

* * *

I know I know... Shorter. You all want to know what happens next. What happens next? The lemon! Which is why I cut it where I cut it. Otherwise, you would have killed me for interrupting the—lemony goodness. Anyhoo, stay tuned for some smexy action, I hope you'll enjoy it and... well that's that. Tell me what you think. :) 


	15. Snap shot lemon

I'm baaaack! As you might have noticed since I updated... France was awesome, I really can't describe the feeling of going "home" since I moved but—it's weird... I saw my bestest best friend for only two days yet it felt like I never left... Aw darn it, now I want to make myself cry... Ahem! Sorry for the delay! Well then, this is the part you've all been waiting for: the lemon!

This might sound strange but... I rewrote the summary. Tell me what you think? I didn't get a sense the first one gave the story justice... Thanks!

Note: The part where the text is italicized and in between - - marks means it's lyrics from "U make me wanna" by Blue, I don't own any part of that but I thought the song fit.

**Warning**: Lemon in this chapter! I'll put warnings before and after but keep in mind this fic is rated R for a reason...

**Disclaimer**: As always, I own nothing but the originality (aka, plot), not even the OC, even less the song by Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 15: Snap shot** (Yeah well, read the first two words, that's what clicked...) 

Picture perfect. Two sleeping faces, one slightly blue mind you, by a cozy fire... All that's left is the romantic dinner and talk and—there you have it. A perfect night on a school field trip gone awry.

With Shuichi this close to Ray, bits and pieces of the two battles flashed in front of her closed eyes, causing her to snap them open. Her gray eyes avoided the warm emerald gaze and darted from Shuichi's right shoulder down to his right arm, then followed the trail left by claws from his left shoulder down to his exposed abdomen.

'_Wasn't he... __**severely**__ injured?_' Ray was certain his wounds were deeper and graver than these! Even though he was awake, his face was still pale... It looked—strangely better. Weird... But at least the bleeding had (somehow) stopped.

Unable to avoid his gently piercing gaze any longer, Ray sustained the warm stare and felt her lips shyly stretch. It felt like her skin was tearing, but she pushed it in the darkest part of her consciousness. She had just realized and registered that—his hand was on her lower back.

Glancing nervously around, Ray tried to think of something to say. It seemed her mind was still frozen. She couldn't think of anything.

"Ho-how are your... wounds?" she inquired, lifting her gaze up one more time.

Shuichi smiled radiantly, "They're just scratches. They feel fine." he replied very softly, as if to incite Ray to lean in to hear him. It seemed like something else was dancing in his pupils—something she couldn't put a finger on. It was probably just a reflection of the flames right?

"A-ah... That's goo—"

Kurama was unable to resist her any longer. Her unexpected shyness, the feel of her skin under his hand, her proximity in such—suggestive clothes, or more like the lack of clothes. It was all too much for his common sense to resist her slightly parted lips. He just had to claim them once again.

For some strange reason, Ray's heartbeat pounded loudly against her chest. Blood rushed to her cheeks and tainted them red before she could actually think of what was happening.

**- - - -Warning: lemon- - - -  
**

She was no doubt surprised when cold lips suddenly pressed fervently against hers. Her gray eyes refocused on the face inches from hers only to close slowly to give in to temptation. Somehow, her brain switched off somewhere because she couldn't really remember what happened next.

Shuichi gently slid his hand on her neck as he successfully invaded Ray's mouth again—with permission of course. His wounds didn't seem to bother him the least when he gently pulled Ray by the waist until she was nearly stumbling, and had to swing a leg over him to stabilize herself. With his other hand on her waist, Shuichi slowly pushed her down until she was resting on him while they both got lost in the kiss.

It seemed the frost that had been covering both of them melted as soon as their tongues tangled with each other. Nothing else mattered. Ray had closed her eyes and tried not to drown in Shuichi's godly kiss. She barely acknowledged that her chest was on his although she did feel his hand caressing her hip again. She recognized the pleasurable shivers that were sent down her spine and arms.

Ray didn't know what triggered this new sensation in her, maybe the intense sucking on her lower lip or the fact that his fingers felt like a feather touch, but something in the pit of her stomach seemed to have disappeared. She didn't even know what she was doing, but her tongue was invading his mouth and battling his moist muscle.

Her hands rested on his firm shoulders, trying not to push down on them while she managed her weight with her legs. Shuichi's tongue moved skillfully around Ray's mouth, craving to touch everything as if trying to memorize her taste.

Surely it was against common sense to feel lost and awed in a kiss with a childhood nemesis, yet—it brought unexpected comfort and warmth in her heart to know someone actually cared. Somewhere along her derailed train of thought, Ray felt her own tongue touch and explore Shuichi's warm mouth.

His hands knew what they were doing—whatever they were doing, because Ray couldn't care less that one was tracing her spine, slowing down only when encountering an obstacle: her bra hook. It was good sign that she could actually feel her skin and the shivers that ran down her arms. It proved she was actually getting warmer.

Along the way, it seemed Shuichi's lips had departed from her own and were trailing somewhere along the lines of her jaw... Oh yes, that was it: her jaw. Or was it? No wait, now he was on her neck. Hopefully he wasn't a vampire...

For some strange reason, Kurama thought of a song as soon as one of his hand was playing with Ray's hair, his taste buds intoxicated with her sweet taste. Had he been a vampire, her blood would have been more than attractive given all that natural sugar... (1)

Ray's head seemed to move on its own, tilting to the side and by doing so, granting Shuichi full access to lick and suck at her neck. Everything was forgotten. Both of them didn't seem to care they had been on the brink of death and were still stranded in Aokigahara during a field trip.

Since the two of them were so—enthralled by the new experience, they didn't notice the small flicker in a shadowy corner, a small smile apparent on the figure's transparent face. A slightly shiny hand extended inches away from a dusty radio sitting on a table, the face turning to glance at the couple intertwined in the blankets.

A soft drum beat hummed throughout the room before the volume increased and background voices filled the corners of the room.

- -_You know you make me wanna.  
You know you make me wanna._- -

Kurama interrupted his sucking and perked his ears up, did he just hear the radio go on? Somehow, he could feel this was a good song...

- -_To start it off I know you know me  
To come to think of it, it was only last week.  
That I had a dream about us, oh._- -_  
_

So true, yet the last time he had a dream about Ray had been the last time he had slept peacefully and in a real bed without worrying about her health and safety. He licked the hickey he had just made and then planted butterfly kisses down her throat, both hands now massaging her back gently.  
_  
_- -_That's why I am here, I'm writing this song.  
To tell the truth you know I have been hurting all along,  
Someway let me know, you want me girl._- -

Ray's reply seemed to be a small, maybe involuntary, arching of the back. Maybe his hands caused it, or maybe she wanted to get warmer faster. No matter, something had clicked between them and it didn't seem like anything was about to stop or interrupt them.

- -_Everytime you see me what do you see?  
I feel like I'm a poor man and you're the queen.  
Oh baby, you're the only thing that I really need.  
Baby that's why:_- -

Kurama couldn't agree more. Ray was _his_ queen and it didn't matter if he was poor, as long as he got to see her and be close to her. Speaking of the queen, it looked like her legs got tired of holding her above him. Not that he complained, he was all the more happy to feel her stomach fully rest on him now, but he just hoped he wouldn't—get too horny too soon...

- -_You make me wanna call you in the middle of the night.  
You make me wanna hold you till the morning light.  
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.  
You make me wanna surrender my soul._- -

Why this song was playing at this exact time was irrelevant, it just deepened Kurama's feelings and the meaning behind his actions. He hoped Ray could sense it and hopefully she would let her feelings pour into her actions as well.__

- -_I know this is a feeling that I just can't fight.  
You're the first and last thing on my mind.  
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.  
You make me wanna surrender my soul._- -

The shivers slowed until they disappeared completely. Maybe rubbing a body against another was the best and quickest way to recover from freezing to death. Kurama's lips suddenly seemed dry, but as he gazed—slightly lost—in Ray's eyes, her lips founds his timidly and he was quick enough to comply in the kiss.

- -_Well I know that these feelings won't end no, no.  
They'll just get stronger if I see you again.  
Baby I'm tired of being friends.  
I wanna know if you feel the same  
And could you tell me do you feel my pain?  
Don't leave me in doubt._- -

Their kiss paused and the staring resumed. Was she feeling the same thing as him? Did it click that these words were only too true? At least they were for him, he still needed her to clear his doubts.

Before he knew he had uttered them, the words had flowed out of his mouth in a tender whisper. "Do you—?" His eyes shone, he couldn't complete the sentence.

- -_Everytime you see me what do you see?  
I feel like I'm a poor man and you're the queen.  
Oh baby, you're the only thing that I really need.  
And baby that's why:_- -

Ray's breathing seemed to have almost disappeared, shrinking back in volume but the word she spoke didn't reflect that at all. "Hai..." She trailed off, maybe unsure she was actually feeling what she thought she was feeling at the moment. Or maybe it was being saved from another near-death experience that had affected her brain and tomorrow she wouldn't remember a thing.

- -_You make me wanna call you in the middle of the night.  
You make me wanna hold you till the morning light.  
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.  
You make me wanna surrender my soul.  
I know this is a feeling that I just can't fight.  
You're the first and last thing on my mind.  
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.  
You make me wanna surrender my soul.- -  
_

Ray noticed Shuichi's hands pressed on her back a bit more promptly than before, as if wanting to seal her body to his. She had grown used to his soft fingers trailing her spine for the last moments, it felt they had been kissing and exploring each other for at least an hour but she knew that couldn't be true.

The fire cracked loudly but the song continued.

- -_I'll take you home real quick  
And sit you down on the couch  
Pour some dom perignon and hit the lights out._- -_  
_

The nearly transparent form took that as a cue and actually turned off the light, leaving the remaining—and only—light in the room flickering across the walls, dancing with the shadows it created. 

_- -Baby we can make sweet love.  
Then we'll take it nice and slow.  
I'm gonna touch you like you've never know before  
We're gonna make love oh' woo' oh._- -

It was as if their breaths hitched in their throat. Maybe they instinctively knew what they were doing, but having words put in their minds seemed to put things in perspective. Kurama's hands crept up Ray's spine and slowly, as his mouth covered hers again, unhooked the bra strap that stood between their flesh.

- -_You make me wanna call you in the middle of the night.  
You make me wanna hold you till the morning light.  
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.  
You make me wanna surrender my soul._- -

If this kept up, he was going to hold her until the morning light, as for his soul... It had been hers for a long time, she just never noticed it. The fox demon was, however, glad that Ray's shyness seemed to have vanished. It had been conquered by growing emotions and need. In one shrug of her shoulders, her bra fell off her chest and easily slid off her arms.  
_  
_- -_I know this is a feeling that I just can't fight.  
You're the first and last thing on my mind.  
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.  
You make me wanna surrender my soul._- -

Kurama's hands were now free to roam and explore every inch and curve of this newly exposed flesh. And he wasn't going to deprive himself of the privilege. Besides, it would warm her up even quicker since her underwear was, after all, still freezing. All he had to do next was taking off her underwear as well as his.

Being a fox (and a male), Shuichi felt the need to tower and dominate the situation, hence why he flattened Ray on his chest before rolling on his side. There, now _he_ was in control. Ray kept her eyes closed, afraid that if she opened them, the pleasure might vanish like a dream.

Something warm and moist on her breast caused her to arch her back in pleasure, a moan stuck in her throat somewhere. Kurama could almost purr in pleasure, his hormones and instincts getting the better of him. So much for control... He was about to go wild.

Fingers clumsily kneaded Ray's breasts, unsure it would do anything satisfying. How good did it feel to hear the soft, sensual moans they elicited. Shuichi groaned softly: blood was rushing to his lower extremity and there was nothing he could do.

Well... There was _one_ thing... Green eyes roamed over the naked body below him, noticing how appealing her two legs pressed together in a last attempt at modesty. Enticing. His delicate and tender hands abandoned the erect nipples to caress their way down to Ray's hips.

It felt like breathing became a burden. Ray opened her tired eyes to stare at the boy—man towering over her. There was no doubt in her mind: she loved him. She always had, but her subconscious interpreted the emotion as hate. There always had been that thin boundary between the two.

Unknowingly, Ray gave a tiny nod with her chin and Kurama admitted to himself he wouldn't be able to stop after that. His hands, that had been frozen on her hips until she had consented, now moved with frightening speed to rid Ray of her last garment: her frozen underwear.

Ignoring the two fires on her cheeks, Ray stared at Shuichi's face, wondering what his reaction would be. As soon as he made sure the underwear was well out of reach, his emerald eyes almost immediately stared at what he had uncovered. Yet he forced himself to start from her face, trying to keep a cool mask.

Hair, mouth, breasts, belly button, hips... bingo. His lips stretched into a smile, trying not to mutter anything that could seem too—male to say, or embarrassing for his first time... Ray seemed to find his smile convincing enough and she half sat up, her cheeks still on fire, to put her hands on the hem of Shuichi's boxers.

Although he was nearly growling for her to hurry up, Kurama's eyes never left Ray's exposed flesh. Shyly—yet quickly—Ray disposed of Shuichi's boxers and tried not to blush a deeper shade of crimson. This was embarrassing, but at the same time it was not.

They were exploring each other, eyes roaming over the body like curious animals. Slowly, Ray inched forward until her lips were on his chest. Shuichi was tall when sitting up on his knees, and since she was sitting up, it was the perfect height for her to share some of her love.

Imitating him, Ray closed her lips around Shuichi's nipple and sucked lightly on it until she could hear his breath hitch on its way out of his lungs. Kurama answered by massaging both breasts with his hands, attempting to control his erection. And failing miserably.

That was it. He couldn't sustain it anymore! With renewed fierceness, Kurama nearly slammed his lips on Ray's after quickly pulling himself away from her godly kisses. Pushing her down with his own muscular body, Kurama couldn't suppress the male instincts any longer.

Ray could feel Shuichi's hot shaft pressing against her lower stomach, sending butterflies up her stomach all the way to her head. Dizziness ensued. It didn't matter, she was laying flat on her back soon enough. Shuichi's tongue was more demanding now, ravaging Ray's mouth once again.

Kurama pressed himself onto Ray, the blanket having slid off him as he sat up earlier. Ray heard a small whimper and realized it was hers. She was begging him with her body to take her. She couldn't do with more teasing. Intense sucking on her lower lip signaled that he, too, was about ready to get it on.

Ending the kiss slowly, Kurama slightly lifted himself off Ray. One glance in her gray eyes gave him all he needed. Slowly and carefully, he inserted himself into her. Oh, the—wonderful feeling... and joy it gave him! Ray's quiet painful grunt brought him back to earth, he had heard the first time wasn't as enjoyable for virgins...

Ray shifted—almost squirming—under him, to adjust to a new feeling he ventured a guess. But this—desire, this feeling... It couldn't be repressed any longer! He had to let go, but he didn't want to hurt her... Kurama was almost already out of breath, stupid mind battles.

Slowly then, he pulled himself out, trying to remember—as his crotch was out—what Ray's warmth felt like around him. He only remembered when he pushed deep into her again, eliciting a very sensual moan. His green eyes shot up to Ray's face in time to see her close her eyes and tilt her head as she was biting her lower lip in pleasure.

A small smirk tugged at his lips, that he could deal with. As Shuichi pushed deeper, Ray felt her hips buck against him, sending new waves of pleasure chilling her to the core, all memories of him dying forgotten. This new sensation, deep within her... My, why it almost felt like Heaven on Earth!

Well alright, maybe not quite... But each time he thrust into her it made her want to arch her back until her stomach was touching the ceiling. Moaning softly, Ray had to lick her dry lips before nibbling on them. Waves of pleasure never amounted to the same thing.

Kurama felt his groin harden even more, which he thought was impossible. And each time he thrust, he tried to change the angle ever so slightly to see which position made Ray cry out the loudest. A sharp gasp answered his last thought and he instantly began thrusting into her deeper and harder.

He wanted to hear her moan, hear her scream his name in ecstasy. _His_ name. Blood pounded inside his shaft, he could feel he was bound to explode any second... Yet he wanted Ray to climax first, to feel her freshly spilled juice coating his member before he could release.

Ray's pleasure heightened immeasurably, her hand—driven by nothing but pure instinct—almost instantly went to find her clitoris. As soon as her finger grazed it, pleasure that she could never have imagined exploded within her. She felt her walls clench around Shuichi's hot groin as she cried out his name; her vision was momentarily blinded, although she had kept her eyes closed.

The feeling of hot walls closing in around him was too much for Kurama to endure. After hearing his name in the most enticing way only lovers could manage, he climaxed. Shuichi went still as he felt his own seed mixing with Ray's. His body suddenly felt washed out, drained of energy but hot.

Nearly collapsing on poor Ray who was on her way back to Earth, Kurama managed to lie next to her after having pulled himself out. At least now, there was no reason to worry about freezing to death...  
**- - - -Warning: end of lemon- - - -  
**

(1) I should spare you the Edward comparisons to all those who read _Twilight_... Those who don't, should! It's an awesome book!

* * *

Mushy right? . I tried not to... but really the lyrics... sort of... twisted it that way. ; Sorry it was so long! Hopefully it wasn't too boring! I thought I'd be forgiven as long as the lemon's good and finished before I ended the chapter, otherwise my head just might have flown off for some _bizarre_ reason... Ahem. Which is why it's so long, so don't be surprised if I don't update any time soon. That and I'm moving in my dorm room. College time! o.o 

Tell me what you think, reviews are still more than extremely appreciated. D

P.S: To all those who wished me to have a good trip, I did!! I would be trying really really extremely hard not to have a good time... and it's nearly impossible when I see my childhood/middle school friends. That was random...


	16. Troubling thoughts

Maybe I should have mentioned I finished the lemon in one day after trying so hard for a week to finish it... Anyway, I was really really stuck for this story (as for another one I'm trying to finish) but thanks to Ray, hooray I've got a plot and I'm pretty sure this is going to make it to 20 chapters! How exciting... -rubs hands in evil anticipation- I shan't tell you more.

However! I am... SO sorry!! I can't believe it's already been... more than 6 months!? And only now, June 24th that I've been able to finish the first page of this! I'm so ashamed... but writer's block is so very evil!! I hope you won't notice the cut in my writing . So! Without further ado, I present to you: Chapter 16!

I hope you enjoy this!

**Disclaimer**: Plot production, errors, typos and OC's all belong to me! Though you still can't steal the goodness. :P

* * *

**Chapter 16: Troubling thoughts**

Warmth, coziness, snuggling. Ray's lips stretched into a small smile at the memory of her dream. She should probably wake up, otherwise she would be late for the field trip. But she didn't want to open her eyes and realize that everything had been a nightmare—until the last part that is.

How intense her school trip would have to be if dreams became reality, her parents surely would be worried if she were to spend a few days in the hospital. It didn't matter, it had been the longest, most vivid dream Ray ever experienced. Besides, only in a _dream_ could she have healed that quickly from so many deadly incidents.

Sighing softly, the gray haired girl let her eyes flutter open slowly. How shocked was she to find a sleeping Shuichi next to her! '_This isn't my room..._' she frowned slightly, trying to remember what happened. Everything flooded back at the same time. Snow, monster, ice.

Sitting up abruptly, Ray discovered she wasn't dressed. No, actually it looked like she wasn't wearing anything at all for that matter. Her cheeks reddened slightly at the very pleasant memory that had seemed to be a dream. _'I guess I... wasn't dreaming._' she concluded. As if to underline that fact, Shuichi stirred next to her.

What actually woke her up was the sound of approaching footsteps crunching on the snow. As Shuichi sat up slowly, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it up to her chest, trying not to utter out a squeaky shriek as the door was pushed open.

Kiyoshi huffed a couple of times before turning on the light and getting a good view of the room and its two inhabitants. Behind him were people muffled up in warm coats and carrying two stretchers through treacherous woods. Seeing both teenagers blinking was a relief. "I'm glad you survived..." panted Kiyoshi before sitting down in a chair.

Survived? Surely it hadn't been that long since he left them in here to go get help, had it? Kurama finally realized where he was and made sure the blanket was at least covering his bottom half. How embarrassing... to be caught naked in the middle of the woods... This was going to be the gossip at school for decades, _if_ it got out that is.

- -Two months later- -  
"Class dismissed. We'll have the test on Monday." noted the teacher as ecstatic students made their way out of the classroom to rush to club activities, a part time job, or simply home. Ray sighed and packed her books and notebooks, making sure she had everything she needed to do her homework.

Two arms ensnared her shoulders from behind before a soft godlike voice echoed in her ears. "Why the sigh? Aren't you happy it's Friday?" muttered Shuichi, who purposely let his lips brush against Ray's earlobe.

She couldn't prevent a tiny shudder from spreading all over her body, which of course didn't go unnoticed by Kurama. "No... I am... I just don't feel really good, that's all." she smiled at him, turning her head so that her nose bumped his.

The squeaking of a chair on the tile floor made both of them straighten up. When Ray glanced at the student who speedily walked out of the classroom, she recognized the hair of Kimori swishing out the door, following its owner. Shuichi's green eyes were also following the last of her hair, but once the classroom was empty and Ray was standing, he couldn't help but peck Ray's lips.

What could he say? Ever since that night... He was head over heels for her, even more so than before! He couldn't forget the wonderful pleasure her body had given him, and he could only hope she had been as satisfied as he had been. But then again, he didn't want to ask her, for he made sure she had very little memories of that field trip.

The only person who knew how badly he was wounded, was Kiyoshi, but he was still on Mount Fuji, and probably would be for the rest of his life, which he dedicated to finding the lost.

--  
_Once Ray was asleep, Kiyoshi raised his head from his chest and stared strangely at Kurama. "I could have sworn you were on the edge of death when I brought you into that cabin..." muttered the black haired rescuer._

_Kurama did his best to look surprised, "On the verge of death? I'd call that mild exaggeration..." His eyes, however, were piercing, and Kiyoshi noticed._

"_If you find it best not to tell her anything..." the black haired male motioned to the sleeping Ray in the bed next to Shuichi's._

_Instantly, Kurama's eyes bore into Kiyoshi's. "No, she won't remember too many details... And, for both of our sakes, we'll just say Hana had a hand in this." Kiyoshi stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets, nodding. "But thank you... for saving her." Kurama nodded his head once._

_Kiyoshi smiled lightly, "Of course. Though, you really had me running... you descended so low I thought I got myself lost." he chuckled, "But of course, with all the blood, I have to admit it was an easy trail... You just got lucky I was heading home."_

_Shuichi smiled and waved to their rescuer, whom he hoped he'd never have to see again, for obvious reasons.  
_--

And that was actually, the last time Kurama and Ray saw Kiyoshi... Thank goodness Kurama had tampered a bit, ok well, asked for some help from Koenma to help tamper with Ray's memories. Otherwise, it might have been a real mess! What if she asked about the demon that called _him_ a demon? Though she didn't look like she actually had caught that...

But enough pondering about the past! Thankfully Ray's parents had been more than grateful to him for saving her life while endangering his! And after the hospital stay, without Yukio so much as interfering in their business, Ray and Kurama were allowed to leave. A good three days after the entire class went back, but... some things just shouldn't be argued, and that was one of them.

"I wonder where Yukio transferred to..." pondered Ray, slinging her backpack on her shoulders. Shuichi was snapped out of his thoughts and he had concentrate on her question.

He blinked, "Uh, transferred?"

"Yeah, Kimori told me when I came back to school..." replied Ray, now confused.

"Ray... Yukio got kicked out of school." His green eyes bore into her gray ones.

Her mouth opened slightly, "Kicked... out?" Kurama nodded. "Oh... is that so?" nervously chuckled Ray, who tried her hardest to look relieved. "I wonder... what he's up to now then..."

Two hands grabbing both wrists made her turn fully around to face an exquisitely divine body. "Ray-- please don't waste your time and compassion for someone who doesn't deserve it. His name shouldn't even leave your lips. Not now, not **ever**."

Oh my! Ray slightly blushed and pulled her hands out of Shuichi's grasp. "I-- I know." she stuttered and walked out the door. She still wasn't used to his display of affection, it was so... foreign to her. Of course, she had drastically cut back on the sarcastic remarks, but whenever she could tease him, she didn't hesitate! After all, they were the gossip of the entire school...

Every since the field trip, they'd been "together" without actually being together! No one actually had proof that one asked the other out, and actually not one of them did, that was the strangest part. Ray didn't know if, logically, she should consider herself his girlfriend, or if he considered her his girlfriend, or if... it was... more? Ack! Confusing thoughts!

"I'll see you tomorrow then." smiled Ray through her jumbled thoughts.

Kurama smiled back and nodded, and somehow managed to kiss her lips before he walked down the opposite side of the sidewalk. Ray felt her cheeks burn and, suddenly self conscious, she hurried home. Once safely in her room, the gray haired teenager dumped her bag next to her desk and plumped down on her bed, squishing her pillow in the process.

'_He's so confusing... One day he loves me, the next he likes me, and the next he teases me! Can't he make up his mind already?!_' thought Ray, though she was one to talk. She wasn't exactly the one being crystal clear about her emotions or their relationship.

'_Should I... tell him, why I hated him?_' Now that was a bigger question, and far more important... Maybe, if she cleared that up, their relationship could start over from the beginning and they could be going out like a normal couple! Well, minus being the smartest in school... That aside, they'd be a normal couple! They could go shopping together, go see movies and eat together, sit in the park for ages while holding hands...

Ideas swirled in Rays' mind and it wasn't until her stomach started swirling for real that she was kicked off her high cloud of happiness. Quickly covering her mouth with one hand, she frantically opened her door and dashed to the bathroom to almost dunk her head in the toilet.

Her stomach heaved bitter liquid and bile up the esophagus and out the mouth. Nasty!! Why had she been getting those random nauseas? It wasn't a virus, because it was too irregular, and it wasn't the food she ate because it didn't matter what it was or if there was any.

The thing that unsettled Ray the most, was that she hadn't gotten her period once ever since she came back from the field trip, two months ago...

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YAY!! I'm done! I finished in one day, ONE DAY!! ... Wow I'm hyper... I'll start working on chapter 17 on the double! No worries, now that I actually wrote, it should flow easier... This story and _Double Identity_ have been keeping me plenty busy (writing wise). Otherwise, it's summer time, I have to get my wisdom teeth out and Anime Expo is in 8 DAYS!! So happy... D Anyway! Hope you enjoyed this, and as always, leave me your thoughts and comments! Much appreciated. .

And WOW. I got a full page of reviews O.O You guys rock!! I hope you won't kill me for the late update though? /


	17. Truth

Whee! And the writing mania continues! Welcome to my world, please don't get lost! (I have to say Anime Expo was great!!!) And I'm going to be dumb... because I'll soon lose my wisdom teeth! (Only to put them on a string and show off... xD)

Sorry for the long delay! I lost my wisdom so-- I guess it took me a while to remember who I was... Haha, just teasin'. Thank you all for your patience! (Though I know you really don't have a say in my writing speed ;)

Note: I just realized this, but I never got any e-mails from this website concerning your guys's reviews!!! I'm appalled, and I don't know what's wrong... So-- thanks for the reviews, sorry I can't answer them at the end (it's against the rules right?), I think it was the stupid spam filter... It should work now... Sorry again!

**Disclaimer**: As always, I own what is mine (the plot and OCs © Animefreak11) and nothing else.

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**Chapter 17: Truth**

"Ray, are you alright? You locked yourself in the bathroom an hour ago! Are you sick?" inquired Ray's concerned mother.

The teenager sitting on the cold tile wiped her lips and took a breath to stabilize her voice before answering. "Yeah... I think I ate something bad..." she replied.

"Well, alright then... but try to come down in a bit for a light dinner. I'll prepare plain rice for you."

"Thanks mom..." called Ray as her mother walked down the stairs. Ray then heard the front door closing as her dad, or rather _step_ dad came back early from work. Rinsing her mouth, the gray haired girl took a decision. She had to be sure...

As she was about to put on her shoes, her mother called her in the living room. "Ray, come here for a minute." Intrigued, she did as told and noticed the torn look on her parents' faces.

Blinking slowly, feeling that something was amiss, she glanced from parent to parent. "What is it? ... Why do you look so—?"

"We're moving, Ray." interrupted her step dad, looking extremely exhausted. "The job situation is getting worse, and I found a nice home in Okinawa for all three of us."

Ray's mouth was open, gaping, like a fish. "Bu-- but...when?" She couldn't believe this. They were moving!? Somehow, she heard the moving date was next Saturday, and that they had already started packing and had planned to have the movers come on Saturday to move everything into a truck.

This could not be happening. Not _now_ of all times, when she finally had found some happiness! Without listening to her parents any longer, Ray rushed up the stairs, grabbed her purse and hurried down the stairs past her parents. She was deaf to their pleas for her to come back, and simply rushed to a nearby store. There was just one thing she needed to check before—before making her decision!

She paid for the item, a small box that had the possibility of altering her future quite drastically, while trying to ignore the seemingly shocked face of the clerk. But when it was time to head home, Ray slowed her walk down as much as possible. So much was on her mind! Random nauseas, her growing love for a sweet and affectionate Shuichi, her parents' decision to move...

Ray felt her mind swirl as she walked the path to her home, heavy hearted. Once at home, in the comfort of the cloistered bathroom, Ray took out the thermometer looking stick and then unfolded the instructions.

~~*Friday*~~  
Feeling a bit more than dread in the pit of her stomach, Ray walked towards a café, where she'd instructed Shuichi to come and meet her. She didn't know if she'd sounded quite normal and just wanting a date, or if he'd been able to pierce through the surface of her calm voice when she said she had something important to discuss. Either way, she'd find out soon enough, and so would he.

Should she mention the move first? Or—the unexpected turn of events?

~*Flashback*~  
Clamping her hand on her mouth, Ray held in a gasp. No way—she could _not_ be p... She couldn't be pr... Damn it, she couldn't even think of the word!! How could she—? A very, highly censurable image popped into her mind and made her face flush. Right... that time... B-but! ... Seems there was no denying it... She was now expecting Shuichi's child. And her own. Well—_their_ child.

Ray felt her heart flutter and her stomach disappear. Then the crushing reality knocked her off her happy cloud. Pregnant, while still in school! And worse yet, not married! She was sure her parents would be enraged, talking about their reputation and what the neighbors would say and yadi yada... Maybe she should wait until after the move to tell them... But she had to tell Shuichi-- she had to see his reaction! Then maybe, in some illogical world, she could convince her parents to let her stay here, with the baby's lovable father!  
~*End of flashback*~

Great... now Ray's stomach was full of dread and anxiety and anticipation and some prelude to desperation... Humans sucked. Why did they feel so many emotions? At this moment, she was sure it would be better to be an animal. Like a—lioness! Then she'd only feel her duty as protective mother, hunter and feeder of the troop! But humans—oh man, they might get the brains, but the emotions... What a burden sometimes.

And there he was, sitting like a picture perfect top model at the outside table, elbow on the table while twirling his spoon into a steaming cup. His green eyes looked up and bore into her own. Definitely model worthy, maybe she should start taking pictures of him and sending them to magazines, and then he'd be famous in no time!

At the sound of her name, Ray was propelled back to earth again. She had a habit of doing that this week, getting lost in her mind... After making sure she was seated, Shuichi smiled a dazzling, beautiful smile and tilted his head to the side. "What did you want to talk about?" So serene and peaceful, like he had all the time in the world to talk to her...

"Oh, um... two things, actually..." replied the gray haired girl, smiling hesitantly. Shuichi nodded and waited. "... I've always meant to apologize to you, Shuichi." she started and raised her hand when she saw him open his mouth to protest. "Let me finish. I—I never hated i_you_/i personally, but I'll just say you appeared as a problem in a... difficult time in my life." she managed to utter out.

Kurama slightly frowned, "What do you mean, difficult? I've known you for a long time, almost for as long as I can remember." Well, almost didn't cut it given his real demon age, but she didn't know that, nor should she.

Ray shook her head in contradiction. "Remember I told you the story of when I almost died in a blizzard as a child?" Kurama nodded slowly, recalling the specifics. She sighed but continued, "Well... my dad saved me, but—he lost a leg because of stupid ol' me..." she sighed.

Shuichi's eyes widened, "Ray—I didn't know, I'm sor—"

"Don't be." she cut him off, "It's in the past..." she shook her head, as if to clear her memories of those painful moments.

"I don't understand... I saw your father, he had both legs."

Ray shook her head again, "The man you've seen growing up isn't my biological father. He's my step-father..." Kurama's mouth opened in an understanding 'oh.' His unofficial girlfriend smiled, almost sadly, "For as far as I can remember after the incident... I've always blamed myself for my parents' forceful and—unpleasant separation. I, actually, still was full of self loathing and resentment and, as an immature child, I had to find some way to relieve my anger."

Shuichi smiled, as if knowing what was to come. "That's where I come in."

Smiling teasingly, Ray nodded before continuing. "Yes, that is where you come in... How could I not hate you? You had the perfect life, all the attention... and your hair was so bright it was like a neon sign calling to me to abuse you!" she laughed quietly while Shuichi chuckled, as if acknowledging his error, which truly was a mistake that wasn't his.

The gray haired girl sighed longly then and stared at her hands on her laps, fingers playing with fingers. "I hated you... because you reminded me of myself, before the incident... I was selfish enough to think that no one should live through the happiness that could've been mine had I not almost died stupidly..." Her name being called by a voice laced with such care and love caused her to lift her head slowly.

Shuichi's smiled sparkled so brilliantly she almost squinted. "As you've said... It's in the past. What matters now, is the future, is it not?" Ray bit her bottom lip, feeling a sharp pang of truth in her heart. He was right, of course he was... But she had to expose the possible futures before tomorrow! She had no time left at all! He seemed to catch on to her hidden desperate look and his face changed to a concerned frown. "What aren't you telling me?"

Oh why did he have to radiate such brilliance and love? Ray's heart throbbed painfully, as if she was debating lying to him and running away from her parents, causing yet another wound in her mother's heart. Her dear mother—did she deserve that? After all the unnecessary pain and heartache she inflicted on her caregiver... No, she couldn't afford to add another searing wound on her fragile mother's caring heart.

Ray sighed slowly and licked her dry lips before looking up in an emerald gaze. She changed her non-smiling face to a grinning one. "You know.. I'm always right... And you still look like a girl." she pointed at his face with her index finger. That caught Kurama off guard. He was expecting something more serious... But then again, it was Ray he was talking about.

He couldn't help but chuckle softly as he stood up after leaving money on the table. "Why don't we go take a walk?" He took her hand in his and pulled her to his side. The gray haired student slightly blushed but laced her fingers with his and pulled his arm against her stomach.

"How do you always know when I'm nervous?" she mumbled as they walked past clothing boutiques, grocery stores having sales, and a lot of busy shoppers milling about.

Shuichi smiled mysteriously. "Intuition?"

Ray almost laughed as they turned the street corner. The park wasn't too far off now, just two blocks down. "You mean, a woman's intuition? Seeeee? I knew you were a girl!" She winked at him with a goofy grin on her face.

"... Then that makes you a lesbian." he retorted, smiling as brightly as she was. This was why it was great to be such good friends – now – with his neighbor and childhood nemesis now girlfriend. Woah, that was confusing... She could just hop from one conversation to the next, and he would still be entertained! That among other things... A snorting laughter made him wheel his head to the side and down. Seems Ray was trying to choke back her laugh.

"You just confessed!" she exclaimed victoriously, jabbing a finger in his face with a triumphant face.

Oh... Nope, not what he planned would be her answer. Did she ever not take him by surprise anymore? "Well... in that case, let me rectify that." he grinned mischievously and dipped forward before she could react. At the same time, his arms snaked around her waist and pinned her to him while his tongue thrust into her slightly ajar mouth.

One minute and forty three seconds later, Kurama pulled away, smirking triumphantly. Ray stood there, blinking confusedly as she caught back the breath that had been stolen from her. "... That--" she licked her lips again, but this time to find the aftertaste of Shuichi's lips on her own, "was pretty manly."

Shuichi winked at her conspiratorially, and Ray only smiled back mischievously. Once they entered the park, they wandered towards the empty swings. She still had a lot to tell him... Now she just felt better about treating him all his life like an inferior human being, but now... Now was the hard part. She had to tell him of their child's existence while working in the imminent move.

It was hard to believe that tomorrow, she would disappear from his life, taking along with her the most important token of his unspoken love: their unborn child.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
Is this the end of a beautifully blossoming relationship? Well, you'll find out soon enough, won't you? =P (P.S. I just finished writing ch 18, so remind me to update by reviewing xP)

Thanks to Ray-chan for giving me inspiration (unbeknownst to her) to help me finish this! I'm ashamed I'm not further into the story, though I have to say we're getting closer to a possible ending!

If you readers and possible reviewers are still alive and kickin', please let me know what you thought! And if you find a typo or mistake I overlooked, point it out! It always makes me feel so dumb when I go back to read a chapter and find this atrociously spelled word... Thank you!! ^.^


	18. Sore reality

Good grief does college keep you busy... So busy in fact I don't realize the weeks and months fly by with me not touching this!!! And then when I attempt, it's always the 'I don't feel like writing this right now' feeling. Until! That miraculous one evening when I was up till 2, and I got random inspiration. Hooray! And then it sat.. and sat... and sat... until I got a review a couple weeks ago (or was it last month?). I'll try finishing it this summer, before I take off for Japan! (I'm studying abroad until December =D)

o.o I'm impressed by the number of reviews racked up for the last chapter in about-- two days?? Thanks guys! Hope you enjoy ;)

**Disclaimer**: As usual, need I repeat myself? I own the plot and OCs. I'm not remotely rich enough to own Yu Yu Hakusho.

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~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~**  
Chapter 18: Sore reality**

The breeze picked up and blew some leaves along the ground, dust spiraling along with them. The branches themselves swayed in the tender wind, enjoying the movement from their otherwise still and dull life. The sun, on the other hand, decided it had worked hard enough for a day and started retiring West, taking the bright light with it.

As children and their parents left the park, Shuichi and Ray swung ever so slightly on the unoccupied rubber swings, their toes dragging in the sand below their feet. There were no words spoken, but the tension between the two could be felt in a wide perimeter.

One word seemed to echo back and forth between them with each half-hearted swing. _Pregnant..._ she'd said. _I'm pregnant._ she'd told him seriously, staring at his face to witness his reaction. And certainly, it wasn't one that Ray was anticipating at all, and it angered her. How could he ask her if she intended to keep the baby? And if she did, what would she do concerning her parents and her school life?

Those questions, although Shuichi meant well and proved his level of concern for her, seemed to drive her over the edge. And after glaring at him as if disgusted by his lack of overbearing joy, they fell into a silent trance, not even glancing at each other as they swung slowly, each to his own rhythm. Of course she knew that she was being whimsical, but, that happened to pregnant women, did it not? And by the tone of his voice when he asked those questions, Ray could almost detect his objections to her unwavering decision.

Ray argued that he only asked out of concern for himself and his reputation as top and model student, and that he hinted well enough that he didn't want such an abrupt surprise in his perfect life. Kurama retorted that she was wrong and only interpreted his concern this way because her motherly instincts dictated that she did so. So what? It only proved she was looking out for herself and her baby, did it not?

A distant rumble disturbed their silence. It wasn't one of their stomachs, it was the dark looking clouds lurking above their murky thoughts. Shuichi sighed and dug his heels in the sand to stop his swinging. "Ray..." he called her name, turning his head to watch her. She didn't stop. "You've always been more than honest with me," he started, extending a hand to grab the metal chain and slow her swinging, "and I think it's time for me to be honest with you as well."

At that, Ray stopped short, eyes staring at her feet. What did he mean? Would he explain his cold demeanor towards the baby? Or... that they weren't actually going out and that he'd refuse to acknowledge he was the father? Slowly, her gray eyes made their way to his painfully beautiful and sad looking face. "W-what about?" she inquired.

Shuichi sighed, as she expected. "... There's a lot I have to explain..." he began, shifting his green eyes to her gentle face. And in about twenty minutes, he did just that. All that Ray retained and could slowly process was that he wasn't human. He was old – way older than her! – and had some kind of spiritual powers? Flashes of the Mount Fuji trip resurfaced, some blurrier than others. She stared at him once he'd fallen silent, mouth barely open, as if gauging the truth of his statement.

"... Do you really expect me to believe that?" Shuichi's head jerked back slightly at her somewhat harsh tone. "If you don't want responsibility you could just say so! Don't make up some lies about some-- old fox demon and a world that doesn't exist!" she shouted, standing up quite abruptly.

Shuichi stood up with her, eyes softened, and a saddened expression on his face. "Ray, can you pleas--"

"NO!" she interrupted, eyes shining with forming tears, "All this time! ... All this time I was being an idiot! You _lied_ to me, Shuichi!" She stared at him, deeply hurt, her face showing revulsion. "All this time-- I thought you meant everything you said and did, that you _genuinely_ loved me!" One of her hands flew up to her chest to clutch her shirt. "I was just being a fool! How many others did you coerce? Three? Five? How many illegitimate children do you have!?"

Shuichi didn't know what to say, it was like a part of his brain didn't want to comprehend what she was accusing him of. "I've nev--"

"**Don't lie to me!**" she shrieked, now crying uncontrollably. "I knew I should never have trusted you! Ever since Yukio got interested, you wanted to best him, is that it? I was just some-- some object up for grabs? Well you know what? I have feelings too! And I don't like being played! Least of all by some-- liar, perfect mama's boy!" She paused in between her stammering to take a few raging breaths.

"Ray, if you'd just liste--" he tried again.

"I don't _want_ to listen to any more of your lies! I thought you'd be happy about this baby, that-- that you'd make a great father! I was even ready to confront my family and stay behind for you!" Shuichi's gaze went from confused and soothing to confused and inquiring.

"... What do you mean, 'stay behind'?" he asked, brows furrowed.

Ray stared at him, sniffing lightly while wiping her tears away with one hand. "I'm moving tomorrow." she finally told him, voice rasp from her screaming. If she hadn't been so engrossed in staring at his feet while clearing her vision, she would've noticed the appalled, heart wrenching look that formed on his strikingly beautiful face.

"W-what? I don't understand... Why-- why are you moving? Are you unhappy here?" he asked, nearly dumbfounded. Ray sniffed one last time but kept her stare on his hands, determined not to look at his treacherous face.

"My dad found a new job. I thought I didn't have a choice. But now I made up my mind." she lifted her head, eyes glaring into Shuichi's caring gaze. "I'd rather raise a kid without a father than one who lies and tampers with people's memories!"

Shuichi lifted a hand to try and grab her wrist, but she jerked it back abruptly. "Don't you dare!" she threatened, venom in her voice.

"Ray, I didn't have a choice-- you're not supposed to know, it's for your own good!" he tried to convince her of the evident truth. Nothing to be done, she simply wouldn't listen.

"How can you _say_ that?" she looked painfully hurt again. "For my own good? Who decided that!?"

"Trust me, it would be better if you didn't know." he insisted, voice pained.

"_Trust_ you?" she scoffed, "How can I do that? You tampered with my memories!" He opened his mouth to retort but she didn't want to hear anything anymore. A loud slap echoed between them. "Good bye!" she yelled, hand pricking slightly as she ran out of the park. She ran as fast as she could, heart throbbing with each step, tears streaming down her cheeks. The weather that had been growling during the argument seemed synchronized with her feelings and poured down a large amount of heavy rain.

Kurama stood still in between the two squeaking swings, alone, in the never ending rain. The water dripped down his bangs, into his covered eyes and down his stinging cheek. He clenched his jaw, the bitter taste of reality seeping into his every pore. She was right, he _had_ lied to her, but for her protection. Now that she knew—she was in danger. He couldn't follow her, he didn't have the heart to see her run away from him again. Yet the part that hurt the most, was that he cared as much as her about their unborn child.

If he didn't have to worry about higher ranked demons targeting her to get to him, he would be at her door, trying to talk sense into her. But he couldn't. He couldn't do anything more to protect her. Now that she knew, her memories might come back if she tried too hard to recall details. Koenma certainly wouldn't be pleased with this outcome, but Kurama was at least confident she hadn't really believed him, so there would be no risk of her blabbering. That and—he really didn't see to _whom_ she would blabber.

It seemed hours later that his legs started working, yet instead of walking home, he walked away from town, deep into the forest. Going home meant confronting reality, and possibly run into Ray as her and her family moved out. His cheek still stung, no, he wasn't ready, and neither was Ray. How his limbs managed to get him at the forest's entrance, he wasn't sure, but by the time he walked through the first line of trees he was soaked to the bones. And he didn't care. Might as well get sick, even that couldn't make him forget how painfully his heart throbbed.

Ray took a sharp left turn, earning a "Hey!" from an offended business man. She didn't seem to hear him, nor did she care. With each heartbeat, she was reminded of the pain she was going to live with for the rest of her life, while watching her child grow up fatherless. That thought alone made her stop her frantic running. Her left hand shot out from her side to a nearby wall and held her up. That didn't last long. Too soon, the sobs shaking her body bent her in half.

Why was love so complicated? Just when she thought she was happy, everything vanished. With hair stuck to her cold face and salty tears mixed with pouring rain, Ray stood straight up and gulped in fresh air. Sniffing once, she user her dripping sleeve to wipe her nose, and her palm to clear her eyes. She had a home to go to, a waiting family... Her other hand carefully touched her lower stomach. A _growing_ family to take care of.

She had no time to worry about the past, or what could have been. She had to focus on what she was left with, what the present and near future had in store for her. Decidedly, Ray walked home with her held high, and her steps resolute. Though there was nothing she could do to stop the torrent of tears her eyes seemed to dictate as appropriate.

This Friday night was indeed the dreariest Friday night Ray had ever lived. The weather perfectly reflected her state of mind and heart. Gloomy, dark, sad and ferocious. She would live through this ordeal, even if she had to force herself to smile and lie.

~~*Two weeks later*~~  
Living by the sea was indeed refreshing, at least before the wind stuck salty water in your hair while shoving said hair in your face. The view was marvelous, the new apartment more spacious and the locals were pleasant people. Yet even after unpacking the last box, Ray didn't feel a sense of belonging. Of course, most people will say that a move requires a longer period of adaption and that all she needed was to make new friends to feel right at home. Yet somehow... Ray had a feeling that wasn't about to happen for her.

"Ray, dinner." called her mom from the kitchen before placing rice on the table. Ray sighed quietly, snapped her laptop shut and put on a slight smile. Her headache was back, the pain in her back was killing her, and she was extremely tired and irritable. Although she knew now that she was pregnant and recognized her food cravings as one of the many symptoms, knowledge didn't erase symptoms. "Have you gained weight?" asked her mother, glancing at her daughter sitting down. "Looks like your shirts don't really fit you anymore."

"Maybe a bit..." replied Ray in a mumble. Her step dad closed the office door behind him as he walked towards the table.

"Perhaps you should stop eating so much then." he cut in the conversation, having heard that last bit.

Keeping her eyes fixed on her plate, Ray heard herself mumble "I don't think that'll do much."

Her dad, not fond of snarky replies, shot her an inquisitive cold glance. "And why would that be?"

Ray just shrugged, wanting to avoid an argument and revealing her secret. Though with the way her stomach was expanding-- that could soon prove to be a challenge. The cat would be out of the bag much quicker than she'd like.

Her mother, now intrigued, sat at the table after setting down the last dish. "Oh come now, she may have put on a few pounds but she still looks fine to me. Don't exaggerate darling." she smiled, trying to ease the tension while starting to serve the food.

They ate dinner quietly, with a few banal phrases to avoid the awkward and tense silence. "How's school Ray? Did you make a lot of new friends?" inquired her mother with a nervous smile.

Ray just shrugged and finished eating without a word. "Not really." she replied before adding "Not like you care anyway..." under her breath.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" barked her step father.

"_Nothing_. Even though you said life here would be better for all of us, it's only better for _you_. You don't even seem to care about mom that much!" Yeah, she would have loved to say what was going through her mind, but she couldn't say that. So instead, she smiled slightly, "Nothing, really. It just... takes a while to know people." There, just like the perfect daughter he pretends to have.

Her stepfather gave a short smile, "Isn't that the truth." he chuckled and ate contently. Ray's smile faltered once his mood didn't put the atmosphere in danger any longer. Her mother noticed but said nothing, some things were better left untouched, at least until later, when her second husband would be snoring the night away.

The rest of the evening proved uneventful since Ray decided to behave herself and pretend that everything was sunshine and blooming flowers. In truth, outside of the house, her face wore a blank expression, and she thought she always looked bland. She'd have to buy new clothes soon, the ones she currently owned were starting to get stretched to their limit.

After brushing her teeth thoroughly and a nice warm yet refreshing shower, Ray slipped on her pajamas. They were so comfortable she never wanted to take them off in the morning. She sat in the middle of her bed and just stared down at her stomach. It was difficult to grasp that another life was blossoming within her. Closing her eyes, she put her hands on her belly and tried to feel any movements. All the while waiting to feel anything coming from within her, her mind couldn't help but wander back to that dreadful Friday. Her hand still stung from slapping Shuichi...

A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts and she yanked her hands off her stomach just as her mother opened the door. Her mother simply smiled and closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the bed, looking incredibly serene. "What is it?" softly asked Ray , actually intrigued.

Two arms embraced her shoulders and Ray realized her mom's chin was tucked over one of them. "Oh honey, why didn't you tell me?" she whispered. Ray could almost feel the hurt in her mother's voice, but she also seemed to notice some happiness.

"T-tell you what?"

Her mother receded from the hug and looked at her daughter with a knowing smile. "About the pregnancy, Ray." Ray's face must have done something, something not terribly noticeable to herself, because her mother only smiled with a short chuckle.

"How did you--?"

"Honey, I'm a mother. It's my duty to know and notice everything about my child." replied her mother with a wide smile. "How far along are you? Barely three months?"

Ray nodded, "Two weeks shy of three months." she replied, still amazed that her mother could tell. "No really, how did you notice?"

"I've been pregnant Ray, I should be able to recognize a pregnant woman when I see one. Your mood has been all over the place, and you never used to snack so much." she chuckled. Ray finally smiled and coughed up a short laugh. They talked about trivial things for a short while before a complacent silence filled the room. "So who is the father?"

Ah, the most important question had finally been shot forward. Ray exhaled a slow sigh and glanced at the sole window in her room. Her mother noticed her daughter's eyes: full of pain and sadness. "Is it a sore topic?" she inquired softly, one hand rubbing Ray's shoulder comfortingly.

A tiny nod answered her. When Ray looked back at her mother's face, her eyes shined more than usual. "What would you do... if dad had lied to you?" (1) she whispered, a hand wiping away the threatening tears.

Her mother seemed to think that question over very carefully. "How would I have found out?"

"He would have told you..."

Another pause. "Would he have justified his lie?"

A short scoff. "To protect you."

Her mother smiled, "I would have listened, very carefully."

Ray's gray eyes shot up to her mother's peaceful face and stared. "Why? Wouldn't you... be mad?"

"I suppose I would have a reason to be mad, but he's the man I loved and decided to trust. If his lie was for my protection, I would have trusted his judgment." calmly replied her mother. "Of course, in the spur of the moment I probably would have threatened to divorce him." she added with a smile.

Ray giggled briefly and took a deep breath before sighing half of it out. "... I might have to do some groveling..." she mumbled childishly.

Her mother laughed and hugged her daughter again. "Call him tomorrow morning." she advised as she stood up. "And do ask how his mother is doing, she looked so sad when we left." she smiled.

"... How come you know everything?" half sighed Ray with a smile plastered on her face. Her mother winked as she opened the door.

"Don't worry about the trivial things. I'll talk to your father in the morning. Good night." she smiled again.

"Talk about what?" asked a somewhat confused Ray.

Her mother paused by the door, "I'll tell him the truth... But don't worry, I won't let him do anything. Good night."

The door shut with a quiet 'click.' Tomorrow... Would she really be able to call him? Talk to him without faltering? Would her heart finally stop aching if she dared pick up the phone in the morning?

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

(1) Sorry if this is confusing, but "dad" is meant for her real father, not her stepfather, hence why the following conversation is filled with the conditional ("would have").

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After much pondering and randomizing, I talked with Ray (my friend, not the OC :P), and decided to end this story on the 21st chapter. That's right, there's only two more chapters and an epilogue left!

Why you ask? Because... I was supposed to be done with this story last (last) year (so, at least two years ago) for Ray's birthday... . And of course, life and college got in the way. So now that we turned 20 and I feel I could plausibly try to finish this over the summer, I think it'd be quite ironic to end on our age.

There, you have it. I really want to thank **all** you reviewers who stuck it out and waited very very patiently (mostly :P) for my updates (which were/still are devastatingly slow). I really really **really** appreciate your patience and comments!!


	19. Dreaded day

All these reviews are so encouraging, I'm writing after I updated o.o That rarely happens anymore (unless I have a chapter already started). It's good news for you! I really really intend to finish this story before the end of August. Tears of joy and sadness, I know... But Ray can't wait! (My friend, not the OC ;P) I'm sure all of you can't either, at least, that's the vibe I get from the reviews... =D

I'm glad more people are enjoying this, and I can't wait to see your reactions as I keep on twisting and twisting the plot all the while wrapping it all up together. You may now proceed to the actual update. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: My drawing skills are pitiful, if I could have conjured up Kurama from the depths of nowhere, don't you think I'd claim him as mine? Sadly, none of them belong to me! ;-;

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**Chapter 19: Dreaded day**

Tomorrow was now today. The happy fluttering in Ray's stomach had given way to the dead weight of anxiety and uncertainty. Could she really call Shuichi and pretend nothing had happened on that day? Might as well start the groveling with a courteous 'hello;' perhaps that will break the ice she had established between them. Ray took a slow, deep breath while her hand reached for the telephone—the instrument of truce.

She saw her fingers dial the number without actually trying to remember what the number was. As her gray eyes stared at the moving fingers, she could only tell her hands were moist. Oh, when had she stopped breathing? She took a quick breath and instantly found herself trying to calm her breathing. Better not start off out of breath, it wouldn't bode well...

Surprisingly, Shuichi's cell phone was off. "The number you have dialed is not available--" Ray hung up the phone, the weight in her heart doubling. Did he change cell phones to avoid her calls? '_No, no, stop being paranoid... His battery might have died..._i Truly, her warped brain did nothing to help the insecurity she had been feeling even before the unneeded thoughts.

Might as well try the home number. Again, she could only stare at her fingers as they expertly dialed the number, as if they'd been waiting two long weeks only to trace this path—and the other—on the keypad. Just as it started ringing though, her father's voice distracted her from the beeping tone: "Ray, you're going to be late. Come down here for breakfast."

She heard a click and a distant voice answering "Hello?" but she slammed the receiver down. It was early, what was she thinking!? Grabbing her school bag, she hurried down the stairs, grabbed the toast on her plate and slipped on her shoes by the door.

Leaving with a muffled "Bye," Ray shut the door behind her before her parents had the opportunity to say anything. The way to school was boring. Get on the subway, sit for fifteen minutes, get off, walk up the street, turn left, and tada, cross the school gates. Today, however, her not so interesting routine was thrown off balance by a somewhat strange occurrence on the subway.

She'd barely sat down and taken out a book to read when she felt-- watched. Ray pretended not to notice anything, but slowly, let her eyes slide up the page until they were peeking at surrounding passengers. The usual businessmen, various students and other workers. No one really stood ou-- _him_. That kid, standing by the doors, hands casually stuffed in his ripped jean pockets.

It wasn't his green hair, though it certainly didn't help the feeling, but everything about him seemed wrong and out of place. The way his back was slouched, a bit much for a normal person; the way his eyes darted nervously around, at a highly questionable speed, but especially the way he stood. With his hands in his pockets, he couldn't hold on to any metal bars or plastic straps, yet he just... stood there, passively. At least, it looked passive, but Ray felt it wasn't what it looked like.

Her gray eyes quickly darted back to her page before he could notice she'd been looking at him. Her heartbeat quickened, at first slowly, then increased steadily until she felt as if she was running a marathon. Why did she feel so threatened? Maybe it was all part of being pregnant, and she just felt extremely insecure in this train full of strangers that could possibly hurt her and her unborn child!

'_Calm down! Calm down, calm-- down...._' Ray breathed in and out, slowly, trying to slow her erratic heartbeat. Why was she getting so paranoid? Perhaps she was just nervous about calling Shuichi, and-- now that she hadn't, everything else seemed... ominous. Yeah, that could be it.

After thirteen excruciatingly long minutes, she finally got off at her stop. Somewhat having succeeded in clearing her mind of what she could only guess was the equivalent of people phobia or claustrophobia—perhaps a dreary combination of both—Ray continued on the street, towards school. As she approached the street corner where she was supposed to turn, she thought she heard soft footsteps, matching hers.

Her heart beat spiked again. Did all pregnant women feel this threatened all the time? '_I'm just imagining things_,' she told herself, yet slowed her walk just in case, '_no one behind me is actually following me._ Right, they couldn't be. Kobe, although much smaller than Tokyo, was still a city and numbered almost 1.5 million people who all lived here; she was bound to walk in the same direction as someone else, wasn't she?

She couldn't help herself though, she turned the left corner slower than she usually would and caught a glimpse of green in between the passersby. Her heat skipped a beat. Why? Why why why? She just told herself it was normal in a city! So _why_ did it feel wrong to be 'followed' by that green haired guy!? Now Ray quickened her pace until she safely made it into the school grounds. As she walked towards the main building, she slowly turned her hair sideways, then turned her waist along to glance behind her.

Nothing. Or rather, no one was there but students entering the school. Eyes widening slightly in confusion, Ray forced herself back around and tried not to lose her mind. That last task proved especially difficult when all she wanted to do was frantically pick up her phone and hear Shuichi's soothing voice. Her heart sagged in her chest, like a heavy bag of potatoes. Just the thought of him brought on a whole new set of painful thoughts. Joyful school sure keeps a mind busy.

~*~  
"I found her," drawled a semi baritone voice.

"Where?"

"Exactly where you thought. Your information was accurate." replied the young male, slouching forward even more.

"Perfect," replied the guy in the shadows. "We'll proceed as planned."

The young male nodded, stretched his arms over his head, and left.

~*~  
"-- urn in your assignment next week. That'll be all." said the teacher before dismissing the class. Kurama was jolted out of one of his many daydreams as students hustled out of the classroom. With a soft sigh, he gathered his belongings in his school bag, cleaned his desk, and was on his way.

"Shuichi-kun, are you alright? You seem... fazed." asked Kimori once he was in the hall.

Kurama blinked out of his torpor again and slightly smiled at his classmate. How could he? Just seeing her reminded him of the field trip to Mount Fuji, and the ultimate outcome of the multiple events. He'd finally made Ray realize the true color of her heart, only to have it wither black in his palm and disappear away from him.

"Shuichi-kun?"

"I'm alright," he reassured her, not at all convincingly.

"You've been like this ever since she left..." muttered Kimori, though not out of jealousy. She'd learned since the field trip that her naughty and sassy attitude would never get her close to Shuichi, not even as friend. After Yukio got expelled from school, it was like a heavy, thick veil was lifted off her eyes. She couldn't believe she actually caused a classmate to fall off a _mountain_.

Kurama didn't reply, Kimori had a valid point. Ever since Ray left, he'd been feeling... morose, disheartened, and weak inside.

~*~  
Classes were finally over for Ray and she couldn't wait to get out, grab her cell phone, and try calling Shuichi again. The _whole_ day that phone call had looming over her head, weighing her down like shackles. Now that school was over, she could find the key and let herself fly again—that is, _if_ he picked up...

She must have gotten up too quickly, because as soon as she stood, Ray noticed her vision go black and felt her blood drain from her face and limbs. She barely had time to utter a soft groan while trying to grab the chair next to her, then everything went black.

~*~  
"Shuichi-kun!" gasped Kimori, catching a stumbling Kurama. "You're _not_ alright." she almost reprimanded while helping him back on his feet.

"Sorry," he apologized softly, "Just a black veil." Although that was true, he couldn't really explain it, but it had felt-- strange, to say the least. "It'll pass in a few minutes," he reassured Kimori, who seemed about to go get help.

She opened her mouth to say something, but he shook his head. "No need, I assure you. I'll be on my way home soon."

~*~  
Ray woke up to stare at a bland, boring white ceiling. She blinked twice before she remembered she'd fainted in the classroom. Lightheaded and somewhat groggy, she sat up and realized she was in the school's infirmary.

"Up, are you?" asked the school doctor, straightening up the room. "Gave your classmates quite a scare." she smiled gently.

"Sorry..." mumbled Ray apologetically while swinging her legs off the edge.

"Do you have a history of anemia?" Ray shook her head. "Hypoglycemia?" Another shake of the head. "Vertigo?"

"No," sighed Ray, getting tired of this questioning.

The doctor seemed to notice and held her clipboard at her side. "Any special circumstances?" she inquired with a motherly look. Ray nibbled on the inside of her bottom lip, which seemed as good as a 'yes' to the doctor. "Very well, you may go home if you feel up to it."

Ray nodded, gathered her belongings and bowed to the doctor. "Thank you," she said before she walked right out. Barely had she closed the door and started walking towards the school gates that Ray pulled out her cell phone. A lot sooner than she'd realized, she was off school grounds and on the street, buzzing with people walking to and fro.

Phone in hand, heart drumming both excitedly and anxiously, Ray started walking towards the subway. She was so absorbed in gathering the courage to press the "call" button on her phone that she barely noticed the green haired man walking towards her. The green from her periphery vision did catch her eye, however, and she noticed right before he walked almost right into her. Staring at him as he pretended not to notice she'd stopped walking, she hurried out of his way and continued down the street.

Now rushed, Ray called Shuichi's home number and pressed the phone against her ear, unaware that the green haired man had whirled around and was now walking closely behind her. After five rings, the answering machine clicked on and Ray hung up quickly. Only then did she notice the taller shadow hovering behind her. Her heart rate sped up and she started taking bigger steps.

Her fingers fumbled through her phone's contacts, stopped on Shuichi's name again but this time for the cell number. From where she was, she could see the station looming ahead of her. Rushing her steps, Ray glanced down to select the cell number when she walked right into someone. "I'm sorry!" she breathed out, barely glancing up to apologize.

The person she'd walked into, though, didn't budge. Ray found herself doing a double take. The person was huge, at least seven feet tall, and had almost no hair. The most frightening part about him was probably his eyes: cold and devoid of any feelings. Ray's mouth opened slightly as she took a small step back. Before she had the reflex to step sideways, the giant put a hand on her shoulder and forced her around.

Shocked and now almost petrified, Ray witnessed her own legs walking towards a deserted alley across the street. "W-what are you doing?" she heard herself mumble, trying to sound angry. The giant made no answer, and the green haired man now flanked her right side silently. "Let me go!" she spit out, anger now present in her voice.

It had no effect on them, except perhaps reaffirming his grip on her shoulder. The giant's hand squeezed her shoulder so hard she thought it would break. So much for wriggling out of that grip. Then she remembered and her thumb pressed a key on her cell phone. Her timing had to be near perfection...

~*~  
Kurama was on his way back home, nearly there in fact, when his cell phone rang. He'd turned it on once he'd left the school grounds in case something happened since he barely had any battery left. His eyes somewhat widened when he noticed the caller, and his footsteps idled on the sidewalk.

Nervously, he flipped his phone open and pressed it to her ear. "Hello?"

~*~  
Ray and her two 'kidnappers' were now a few feet away from the alley. Glancing down at her phone, she saw the seconds ticking by, keeping a count of how long her phone call was. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest when she heard the faint 'hello' uttered by her favorite voice in the world. It was now or never.

Ray dropped to the ground, squatting down quickly, bringing with her the giant's arm. She shot back up behind him and twisted until his grip faltered on her shoulder. Free at last, she slammed the phone to her ear, where she heard a second 'hello?' that warmed her heart.

"Shuichi!" almost cried Ray, somewhat out of breath.

Kurama's eyes widened more at the tone of her voice. "Ray? Ray are you alright!?" He could hear sniffing at the other end.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out, glancing behind her all the while. "I'm-- sorryforeverythingIsaid!" she apologized way too fast.

Kurama was about to reply when he heard her gasp, then grunt loudly until her voice died away. "Ray!?" he shouted anxiously in the phone, his legs now running at top speed towards his home. He heard a beep and shot a quick glance at his screen: almost out of batteries. Shit.

Pressing the phone even harder against his ear, Kurama burst through the doors of the complex and rushed up the stairs. "Ray? Can you hear me?"

"Let me go! W-what are you doing?" He could hear Ray's distant voice. His heart squeezed painfully. What was happening!? "Give that back!" she yelled, obviously far from the phone.

What he heard next, he'd never forget. A familiar voice chuckled and he could hear the phone changing hands until a peaceful sigh sounded in his ear. "Dear oh dear, it's never as I want things to be, even _with_ hired aid..." tsked the voice, as if disappointed.

Kurama felt his limbs tense up and his insides freeze at the same time. He couldn't believe this, what were the odds!? A frown creased his brow, "Yukio," he snarled through gritted teeth.

The voice laughed lightly, "So good of you to remember me. I'm sorry to say you won't be needing this number any longer." he said offhandedly. "Nor will you be seeing the phone's owner." he added coldly before disconnecting the call.

"Wait!" Too late. At the same instant, his phone blanked out. Growling in anger, Kurama rushed to his apartment, nearly busted down the door and fumbled for his charger. Once his phone was plugged in, he tried calling Ray's phone again and again. Each time, he was met by the same computerized voice: "The number you have dialed is not available--" And each time, he would snap his phone shut in distress.

Thoughts were jumbled in his mind. How could Yukio know where Ray went? What did he mean by 'hired aid'? He had to go there-- but he wasn't sure were 'there' was! Even once he got there, his chances of finding Ray were slim at best. Kurama started pacing his room, anxious, nervous but worst of all full of remorse.

What could he do to get her back safe and sound?

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... I noticed that, even though I have plans for what's supposed to happen, they always end up changing as I write it. Then I realize that, and try to go back and change it, but... I don't want to, because it fits, and then I'm not too sure how my original idea was supposed to happen. I hope you still enjoyed it!


	20. Heaven on Earth

So how'd you like the plot twist? ... . No need to yell, it was probably the last cliffhanger ever! ... Well, for this story. =P On a more loving note, oh my gosh you guys I wuv you! (... It's probably the only time I use such language, when my eyes are giant and overflowing with crystal tears.) No really, your highly entertaining reviews make my day SO much brighter, you have no idea. xD Then I feel horrible about not writing and try to write, but I have to say, I'm still battling writer's block (the physical part anyway). I'll overcome it just for you guys! Patient, very patient and loving reviewers and readers.

Thanks to all those of you that added me as favorite on your story alerts! Also makes me happy, because then I expect to see your names when I post new stories. And ohhh boy, do I have one awesome story in mind for you guys. Details at the bottom, I'll stop the blabbering. On with it!

On another note (sorry I'm very talkative...), I'm leaving for Japan TOMORROW! o.o (crap I need to pack!) and I seriously finished writing this in... 4 to 5 hours? This is seriously 14 pages... x.x Wow. My back hurts!! But I needed to finish, I didn't want to break my promise! Though I am... somewhat. I'll work on the epilogue at the airport/on the plane, I promiiiiiiise! I'll try to write it as soon as possible, so I don't get distracted for 5 months... and I should probably go to bed now it's past 1a.m. And I still need to pack everything for Sunday... . Details-- right?

Note: The part where the text is italicized and in between ~* *~ marks means it's lyrics from "Heaven" by DJ Sammy, I don't own anything of it, I simply borrowed it.

**Disclaimer**: Although I'm finally done watching and reading Yu Yu Hakusho, it doesn't shove me any closer to owning it. OCs and wonderful plot are pulled straight from my crazy mind.

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Chapter 20: Heaven on Earth**

"Give that back!" yelled Ray once the phone had been stolen from her grip and thrown to the figure in the shadows. He turned his back on her and conversed with Shuichi, though what he had to say to him she couldn't fathom. She heard the distant snap as her phone was shut. Again, she struggled against the one holding her since she wasn't completely in the alley yet. Why was no one around doing anything? Should she yell louder?

"Let GO of me, you CREEP!" she nearly shrieked, fighting pointlessly against the vice-like grip of the giant. Although she'd been dragged at the entrance of the alley during the brief conversation, her screams started attracting unwanted attention, at last. The figure turned back around and gave the giant an abrupt nod. The giant's grip moved from simply holding both arms at her side to squishing her neck in between his muscly elbow, all the while covering her mouth with his left hand.

Muffled and powerless, Ray had no choice but to inch before the giant's thigh, which was shoving her forward with each step. Too soon, she found herself submerged in the alley's murkiness. The figure smirked in the shadows, Ray could only barely distinguish his features, and help up her phone. For a second, it appeared time had frozen the phone in place. The next second, the phone crashed on the ground, sending plastic pieces around before the figure deliberately took a slow step, then crushed the rest under his heel.

Ray's eyes widened in surprise before she glared at him. He was undoubtedly the mastermind behind this-- abduction, or whatever he wanted to call it, and she didn't have a clue as to who he was, or why she was involved. As if to answer her unspoken questions, the figure smiled. The giant removed his hand from the girl's mouth as his apparent boss stepped into the dim light. Ray gasped, eyes widening in shock.

"You--! H-how? ... I thought--"

"Whatever Kimori told you was a lie," smoothly interrupted Yukio, though hardening his gaze at his old classmate. He paused, as if weighing his next words, then glared his hatred into his prey's gray eyes. "You _ruined_ my **life**!" he hissed venomously.

It was as if Ray, too shocked to close her gaping mouth, had received a stunning slap in the face. "I-- **what**!?" she huffed, incredulous, "You-- you tried to--!"

But before she could finish uttering whatever she was going to say, Yukio spared a quick glance at the giant, who covered Ray's mouth again. "Let's take this... _conversation_ somewhere else." The gray haired girl couldn't object, or rather, even if she did, it would make no difference whatsoever as she wasn't free to control her movements. And so, Yukio led the way, hands in his pockets, zigzagging between trash and a few roaming people. Behind him was the giant, and a frightened Ray, and behind them still, was the quiet green haired man.

Too soon, they found themselves in an old, decrepit and abandoned building by the looks of it. Some sort of old factory, with a very wide and open floor space. Now starting to get scared—no one would know where they were!—Ray glanced around briefly. From the looks of it, this was Yukio's makeshift home. It was close to her school... Too close.

Before long, Ray was thrown on an old, smelly mattress riddled with holes. Her head slammed against the thick concrete wall behind her and she looked up, almost defiantly, at her captors. Facing her, and blocking her exit, was Yukio. His arrogant, overconfident smirk had left his face and was instead replaced with an unreadable stern expression. On her right stood the green haired man, seemingly passive and uninvolved. She wouldn't put it past him to snag her if she tried to run for it though. And on her left was the mute giant. No use trying to run around _him_.

Yukio quirked up an eyebrow and glanced at the giant. "Oh really? ... How interesting." The sick grin formed on his lips again. "I have to hand it to you," he nodded almost appreciatively, "not only do you stab my heart and ruin my life, but you do so with my nemesis!"

He must have been anticipating Ray's confused look because he couldn't help smirking at her. "You're about, what, three months?" he asked in a casual tone, eyes sliding off Ray's face to stop on her stomach. He heard her gasp and saw with great pleasure her arms attempting to coil around her abdomen protectively.

Cornered, Ray could only pull her knees up to her chest as weak defense against the three of them while crushing her back against the cold wall. Yukio couldn't help but glance at her inching skirt, and he gave her an amused smile when he noticed the shorts. What could she say, ever since he tried to rape her she'd been wearing shorts under her uniform, if only to feel more comfortable.

"Nice," he grinned and glanced at the giant. The giant nodded once and took a step forward. Ray inched back against the wall and sideways, towards the green haired guy, looking befuddled at the approaching giant. "Oh no, you're not crazy." chuckled Yukio, now truly amused. "You see, my friend here," he said, patting the giant's shoulder, "doesn't need to hear your voice to know what you're saying."

Gray eyes darted from Yukio to the giant and back. Yukio grinned again. "Exactly, like reading minds, except he communicates this way. It's really a bit technical, so I'll spare you the details. Now why don't you stay still, and I promise it won't hurt _too_ long." Ray scooted further right as the giant took another step. There was a slight pause in the giant's movement as Yukio chuckled, shaking his head at something. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to share," he admitted, as if answering Ray's silent question.

"I would have thought _precious Shuichi_ spared no time in telling you the truth..." drawled Yukio, tone full of disdain at his enemy's name.

Ray stared at him, somewhat shocked that he knew this much. "How do you know-- about him?" she heard herself ask, frowning at her old classmate. To her surprise, he laughed, briefly at least.

"You are so... simple minded," he nodded. "Might as well tell you the truth, since your _boyfriend_ didn't." he snorted. "Ever since that Mount Fuji-- _incident_, where your little prank did nothing but frighten me briefly, I've been drawn to particular people."

Mentioning the field trip jolted Ray's—tampered—memory, though what happened in the cave surfaced quite rapidly, and as she recalled, he'd been more than 'briefly frightened.' Yukio continued, oblivious to Ray's hidden snort, "Then of course, I had to think of something to get my revenge after I learned that I was expelled..." He drawled on and on, apparently zealous of sharing his version of a horror story, for him. His getting evicted of his apartment was no real surprise, she'd seen his stuff littered here and there in this humongous place.

Although his tale was nothing out of ordinary in a huge city like Tokyo, the surprising part was soon mentioned, and got Ray thinking. "These certain people," continued Yukio, "all came to me with various ambitions. Thankfully I met Oshin." he grinned, glancing at the giant. "Once I realized his astonishing ability, I immediately thought of this joyous reunion. A little nudging on my part easily convinced him to work for me. I have things to offer he greatly desired..."

His victim, listening with only one ear, rolled her eyes. She must have done so loudly, because Yukio directed his glare on her. "You? Offer things to others? I find that hard to believe... You have nothing left." she replied, not needing the ability to read minds to tell what he was thinking.

Yukio snorted, amused. "Keep your sassy remarks to yourself. It'll be best for you-- and the baby." he added as an afterthought. His afterthought had the desired effect: Ray shut up and receded against the wall, if she even could. "I asked Oshin to find us a suitable third companion. Thus, Sohda joined our ranks." The green haired guy looked away, as if bored.

'_Ranks,_'mentally snorted Ray, '_more like a group of sore losers__._'

There was a pause in Yukio's somewhat elegant speech before a frown creased his smooth features. "You little twerp--" he hissed in between gritted teeth, "Think you're tough, don't you?" Ray glared mightily back at him.

"Glaring at me isn't going to poke a hole through my skull," he mocked, smirking arrogantly.

"No. But this will." interrupted a voice. All eyes snapped to the intruder holding a glimmering blade. In a flash, he stood in front of Yukio, tip of his katana grazing the blond's forehead. Yukio frowned, his lips twitching. Two seconds passed before Oshin launched himself at the short guy, who promptly dodged the attack.

Before long, they were chasing each other in a deadly goose chase. Oshin was surprisingly nimble and fast for his size. The shorter man, clad in all black, was much swifter, though seemed contradicted for not being able to get rid of this bulky opponent quickly.

Meanwhile, a briefly victorious Yukio smirked at the success of his plan. Now all he had to do was carry out his revenge, and he'd be satisfied. Ray waited until Yukio was distracted, then sprung to her feet in an attempt to escape. Unfortunately, the blond seemed to know she'd try to run for it and caught her left wrist, yanking her back towards him. Mercilessly, he slammed her against the wall, twisting her arm on her back and eliciting a painful grunt. "You're not going anywhere." he hissed in her ear.

Then in a swift movement, he unglued her from the wall, shaped his right hand around her neck and forced her down on her stomach. Ray struggled, trying to push him off, using her right arm as support to force herself to roll sideways, but Yukio dug his knee in between her shoulder blades, rendering any movement impossible. Breathing hard, Ray glanced up and saw a pair of legs advancing towards her and stopping at Yukio's level. "Do it." she heard Yukio bark in his bossy voice.

Adrenaline surged through her veins. She couldn't let them! Whatever they had in mind, she couldn't let them do it! Ray started thrashing around, kicking her legs wildly all the while trying to free herself from Yukio's foul grip. Grimacing, Yukio yanked her left arm further on her back, stopping only when she let out a painful cry. "Stop struggling!"

As things stood, Ray had no other choice. She couldn't see what Sohda was doing, but she heard him pull out a switchblade. As he was busy doing something, Yukio made sure Ray couldn't move anywhere, then his eyes darted to the surrounding deserted factory, where echoes of clashes resounded back to them. "Oshin should keep him busy long enough," he smirked in satisfaction, "Are you ready yet?"

Apparently, Sohda was. In a last attempt to free herself, Ray pushed herself sideways. Or she would have, had Yukio not been sitting on her back, keeping her torso on the ground. "Hold her." he snapped to Sohda. His friend obliged, and placed a foot against Ray's left ankle in such a manner that her waist was perpendicular to the ground. If she struggled too much, she would risk breaking her ankle, and probably for nothing, as neither of them would let go.

What she felt next ripped a shrill scream from her throat. Spasms coursed through her abdominal muscles and something dripped down her stomach, below her uniform. While she was concentrating on the burning pain, Yukio—still restricting her movements—smirked, as if enjoying her pain. "Hurts like a bitch, doesn't it?" he chuckled.

The distant clashing sounds didn't seem to disturb him the least. As long as there was noise, he was safe, that was his assumption. Ray's pain didn't vanish. In fact, it only seemed to be digging deeper and deeper within her, and she tried looking at the source of her pain. Horror sank deep in her heart. Her neurons were right, the hole burning though her skin was in the last place she would want it: her abdomen.

A piercing cry ripped her throat again, this time full of distress. Yukio didn't falter and held her still. "Keep at it!" he barked at Sohda, who seemed to have been momentarily stunned by the expecting girl's cry.

"Stop!" pleaded Ray, struggling through the pain pointlessly. "Please-- stop!" she begged, her efforts slurring. Sohda did it again, and the burning spread deeper and faster. Another scream ripped her scorched throat to pieces. The physical pain was unbearable, certainly, but what she feared most was the well-being of the life inside her! Uncontrollable spasms spread throughout her body, and she broke out in a cold sweat, moaning in pain and sorrow.

Yukio seemed more than satisfied with the results, he just couldn't help smirking. Somebody's pain was somebody else's joy. "I was really surprised myself to find out about Sohda's-- intriguing qualities..." said Yukio in a conversational tone while the girl beneath him started crying. "You see, his blood—his miraculous blood—acts like acid once it's not in his bloodstream. Isn't that amazing?" he chuckled in good spirits.

Ray was, quite obviously, beside herself with pain and grief. Her baby-- what would happen to her baby!? "Stop--" she sniffled, "not my baby..."

"Ha-- haha, HAHAHA!" laughed Yukio, body shaking with delight. He managed to control himself, and grinned down at his victim, "Oh no no no, taking your baby away is _precisely_ my plan." He glanced at Sohda again and jerked his chin downwards.

Sohda hesitated, glancing at Ray's tear-stained face and begging eyes. "P-please--" she blubbered, too weak to struggle, "He's innocent--"

"Sohda!" snapped the blond, getting impatient. "Three more drops and it'll go all the way through. Do it!"

The green haired guy held his bleeding finger over Ray's lower abdomen again, about to squeeze his cut to bleed on her and effectively burn deeper through her insides. "Please--" she sobbed again, "He d-didn't do anything..." she kept pleading with a worn out voice. "Please--" she repeated.

"Sohda!" Yukio was about to lose what patience he had left.

Sohda opened his mouth to reply, but closed it when a sharp edge pressed against his throat forcibly. Yukio's blue eyes widened in surprise. He glanced behind him, and noticed the sounds of the battle were nonexistent. He'd been too engrossed in his glee for revenge to notice the established silence around them. And now he was paying the price.

Crimson eyes stared murderously at him. Yukio twitched, then smirked mightily. "If you make one move--"

"You'll what?" snapped the stranger, his blade now back where it had started: point blank at Yukio's forehead.

Blue eyes darted back and forth between Sohda and the intruder. "Get him!" hissed Yukio, eyes slightly widening meaningfully. Much to his disappointment, Sohda let his arm return to his side with a shake of his head. The blond mastermind seemed to be at a loss, his giant defeated, his ally deserting... What on earth was he left with!? A sharp blade ready to slice him up, that's what.

Wavering between conscious and semiconscious, Ray focused her blurred gaze on her savior. All she could make out from where she was standing was that he was wearing all black, and had something white in his hair. "Get up." ordered the stranger. Yukio obliged, albeit slowly. He could have succeeded anyhow, the two drops of acidic blood would have surely gone through the placenta surrounding the baby and eaten away most of it. There was no chance any baby would survive.

Once released, gravity took a hold of Ray's body and pulled it down, stomach flat against the mattress. The guy with the sword stepped forward, pushing Yukio back into a corner. Sohda took two steps towards Ray when Hiei turned a glare towards him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Helping her... The acid is still active." replied the usually quiet Sohda.

As if on cue, Ray shuddered and attempted to curl up into a ball, groaning in pain all the while. Yukio was too shocked at Sohda's betrayal to comment, but Hiei gauged the green haired guy's capacity to help and decided it was more than needed. A swift nod allowed Sohda to kneel next to Ray before gently pushing her on her back. Hiei then realized the cut on Sohda's finger was gone.

Ray kept moaning, half delirious from the pain, "My baby-- Shuichi... help my baby--!" Sohda leaned forward and pulled the burned uniform above the wound he created. The usually smooth skin was badly burned and looked almost wrinkled. And of course, there was the actual problem: the hole digging into her innards, burning her slowly from the inside out.

Yukio seethed with anger, his perfect revenge had almost been accomplished and almost all thwarts in his perfect plan had been accounted for. All except for this guy's random appearance, and certainly not Sohda's betrayal. Hiei readjusted his katana's blade against Yukio's throat, and then effectively blocked his view by knocking him to his knees.

Meanwhile, Sohda approached his face from the bleeding wound. Ray was still thrashing around, her hair a mess, clearly in agony. Still mumbling, begging for Shuichi to save her baby, she felt an odd sensation. It was strange enough to bring her back to reality briefly to force her heavy head off the mattress. What she saw made little to no sense, but she could feel the pain slowly ebb away.

Ray let out a sigh of relief and her head slumped back down, exhaustion taking over. Hiei turned around, sheathing his katana, and stared at the scene displayed before him: Kurama's girlfriend was sinking into lethargy as another guy kissed her abdomen. At least, that's what it looked like. A few minutes later, Sohda sat up. Hiei noticed the wound had closed, and the only evidence that it was ever there remained in the light scar, and the trickle of blood running down Sohda's lip, which he promptly wiped away.

The green haired guy said nothing and raised his gaze to meet Hiei's. The old factory was strangely quiet now that there was no fighting and no screaming. "So you counteract your own poison." noted Hiei. It was not a question.

Sohda nodded once, slowly. "Yes... although my blood is deadly, my saliva seems to have the opposite effect."

"Hn."

Sohda peered behind Hiei, noticing Yukio's limp body. Again, he looked up at Hiei, as if asking a question. "He's not dead. Yet." answered the fire demon, turning his crimson glare at the blond. "I'm sure death eagerly awaits that son of a bitch."

Without waiting for an answer or comment, Hiei stomped forward and unexpectedly picked up Ray. The sudden movement and stretching of her stomach was enough to jolt her out of her comatose state and extract a painful gasp from her lips. Sohda stood up abruptly and held both hands in front of him, as if dealing with an escaped tiger. "She shouldn't be moved yet-- I can't be sure the acid is completely gone. If some of it is still active, it could be quite dangerous for her to move at all."

Hiei paused, then gently put her down on the rugged mattress. "I think this 'Shuichi' she keeps calling is very dear to her... Do you know where he is?"

"Far. It'll take us at least two hours to get back here once I find him. But finding him could take more than two hours." replied the fire demon.

"I'll keep her safe... I know a place."

Hiei glared at this new ally, debating whether he was truly trustworthy or not. "If Yukio wakes up, she'll be in greater danger... He attracts all kinds of people and demons."

"You know of demons?"

Sohda nodded again, "My ability isn't exactly a natural occurrence... Let's just say I had my share of the supernatural when I was a kid, and I don't think she needs to go through that." He turned to look at Ray, sadness in his gaze and expression.

"Where will I find you?"

Sohda took out a crumbled piece of paper, scribbled something quickly and gave it to Hiei. "I'll care for her until you return." Hiei glanced at the paper then at Sohda, and vanished. He had quite a way to go if he was to get to Kurama in about two hours before dragging him back here.

~*~  
Ever since Yukio had hung up on him, every minute seemed like a painful stab to Kurama. Not one breath was full or easy, and every hair on his body was so sensitive he thought his long sleeves were out to cut off his arms. His thoughts were as sharp as his rose whip's thorns and certainly coiling in all possible directions.

What happened to Ray? What hired help? Why?

Of course, revenge was the first and most evident response, and there was nothing he could do about it.

At about five to ten minute intervals, Kurama would dash to the door and swing it open meaningfully, only to stop dead in his tracks while he reasoned it was very improbable to find one girl in a city like Kobe.

Not without any help anyway. His eyes widened in surprise. He should cut his heart out for not realizing the obvious! Who among his friends had a keen sense of ki, smell _and_ was good at finding people?

"HIEI!" he yelled loudly out his open window, cold wind rushing inside swiftly. Maybe if he increased his spirit energy, his friend would appear less than five minutes later.

Fifteen minutes passed.

Kurama clenched his teeth tightly, bitterness overwhelming every other sentiment as he slammed the window shut. The _one time_ he needed his friend's help, he wasn't there!

Being angry wasn't going to help him, or Ray! He needed to be calm and collected, like he usually was. Ray's phone went dead around 16:11 (1), and it sounded as if she was near a street. Maybe-- maybe someone saw her being kidnapped and helped her out and took her safely to the police station... But then-- why hadn't she called? Kurama glanced at his watch again impatiently, it read 16:46.

Grunting in exasperation, he yanked open his laptop and typed furiously, determined to find Ray's new address via the internet.

~*~  
Meanwhile, Sohda was on the phone. He'd barely finished saying the address of his location when his knees buckled beneath him and he found himself pummeled to the ground. A punch knocked his cell phone in the middle of the floor, far from his reach. Sitting on him, quite beside himself, was a very angry blond bastard. "How **dare** you betray me!?" roared Yukio, punching his former ally once more.

Sohda didn't really have time to reply, mostly because the insane blond had reached into Sohda's pocket and grabbed the switchblade used earlier to cut his finger. Without another moment's hesitation, Yukio stabbed downwards, aiming for the heart. Grunting, Sohda blocked his assailant's wrist with both hands, the blade inches from his chest. The blond attacker snarled and flexed his muscles, driving the blade further down.

In a desperate attempt to protect himself, Sohda grabbed the blade with one hand, wincing as it cut into his palm. Yukio's snarl had by then become a muffled yell, but when he saw Sohda's blood, he had a split moment's hesitation. Sohda noticed, and took advantage of it: he kicked the blond off him, tossing the switchblade away from them both.

However, Yukio was determined not to be defeated that easily, and he threw himself on Sohda again, tackling him from behind and against his lower back. Although the next few minutes of struggling were a blur, a lucky turn of events made the difference. While Sohda was pushing himself sideways, attempting not to get strangled by the fanatic guy on top of him, his bleeding hand swung by the blond's face.

A strangled yelp echoed throughout the empty factory. Sweating and panting, Sohda took a quick breath while staring at Yukio, his eyes wide in shock. Without meaning to, a few drops of blood had flown onto Yukio's face, burning his skin like unstoppable acid. Apparently, this only enraged Yukio even more and he dove forward, both hands at Sohda's throat, squeezing the life out of him.

Perhaps a reflex or maybe a defense mechanism, but Sohda would never remember if his next movement was intentional or not. Before he knew it, he had sent his bleeding hand flying into Yukio's face, or more precisely, Yukio's raging eyes. The result was frighteningly effective. Screaming at the top of his lungs, Yukio let go of Sohda, who wisely scooted away, while the blond covered his eyes with his palms.

"My eyes--!" he shouted, an octave above his normal voice, "MY EYES!!!!" Yukio was probably heard yelling across the country, his strangled screams a siren to all surrounding demons. "It burns-- it BURNS!" he cried in pain, stumbling on his feet, walking blindly.

By then, Sohda had the wits to pick himself up and quietly make his way to Yukio's sweet revenge gone awry. Ray was awake, though barely so, as if the burning pain from the acid was still affecting her. She saw through slightly fuzzy vision green hair getting closer, then felt something wrap around her shoulders before her left arm was pulled upward.

The rest of her body followed easily enough, and had it not been for this confusing green messy hair, she would have thought Shuichi had come to get her at last. A weak smile spread on her lips, and in all her confusion, mumbled "Thank you... Shuichi." before letting her head fall on Sohda's shoulder.

Sohda spared Ray a gentle glance all the while speed-walking towards the exit. Once he stepped outside, he saw a white Toyota waiting for him. The driver stepped out, and he smiled at her. "Punctual as always."

"You said you needed help. I nearly flew here." replied his black haired friend who opened the back passenger door for them. "Get in." she motioned to the car with a nod.

He didn't have to be told twice, especially since he felt that a few demons were making their way over. "Let's get out of here." said Sohda once he'd slammed the door behind him and Ray.

~*~  
Unsuccessful and stressed beyond belief, Kurama forced himself to don his normal demeanor in front of his mother for dinner. He glanced at his watch again as he closed his door, 19:02.

After setting the table, trying not to break anything, he took the dishes on the table when a familiar energy appeared nearby. "Sorry mother, be right back." he muttered, making his way as slowly as possible towards his room.

Once behind his closed door, Kurama appeared by his window. Barely had he opened it that Hiei stood in his room, seemingly a bit out of breath. The fire demon glanced up at the fox demon meaningfully, "Come with me." he said shortly.

"Give me two seconds, I'll meet you outside." replied Kurama, now entirely focused. He locked the window behind his friend and made his way downstairs, "Sorry mother, I won't be back until tomorrow. Emergency." Shiori nodded slowly, watching him put on his shoes blindingly fast.

"Be careful!" she called after him as he slammed the door shut.

"Let's go."

Hiei didn't have to be told twice, he set off at top speed. Kurama kept asking questions on the way, even though he was starting to run faster than his shorter friend.

~*~  
"You can put her on my bed."

Sohda did just that, then he checked Ray's temperature and slightly frowned. "She's starting to sweat..." He turned his brown eyes towards his friend, "Ryoko..."

The slightly older friend met his anxious gaze with a calming air. "Calm down, being agitated won't help her." Green hair nodded along with the head. "How long until her friends get here?" Sohda glanced at his watch and had a disappointed look on his face. "An hour?"

"I wish. Depending how fast they are, at least three..." His worried gaze returned to the now feverish girl.

"I'll get her a cool towel. Get her some water, if she needs to sweat it out, let her." said Ryoko while leaving the room.

A few minutes later, they were back in the room, and Ray was now sweating profusely, mumbling bits of sentences asking for Shuichi to help her baby. Ryoko sat on her desk chair and stared at her friend. "What kind of mess are you in this time, hm?"

Somewhat embarrassed, Sohda told her of Yukio's appealing 'job' and the reasoning behind it. "So he basically lied to you about everything." summed up Ryoko, looking unimpressed. Sohda gave a weak nod. "I'm just shocked you'd sell your ability at all, but for so little? I'll have to train you better." she sighed, running a hand through her chin-length hair.

Sohda gave her a shy smile. "I just needed the money, you know how my brother is."

"I do. Maybe I should train _him_ too!" Sohda actually laughed, shaking his head. They both knew that was wishful thinking.

...

An hour passed.

...

Ray's fever worsened, along with her hallucinations.

...

Another hour ticked by.

...

Sohda was now pacing around the room, glancing at Ray every few seconds.

...

~*~  
Finally, after a total of three hours and forty minutes since Hiei left, a pressing knock was heard. Sohda glanced at Ryoko with relief and dashed for the front door. The first thing he saw was bright red, then a rushing fist. He realized he'd been punched when his butt hit the ground. "That's for harming her," said a very cold voice. A warm hand grabbed his elbow and heaved him up, "But that's for helping her." Sohda could hear deep gratitude in the now hearty voice.

The next thing he saw was emerald eyes shining with overwhelming concern and anxiousness. "C-come on in, she's this way." Sohda led the way, and he could have sworn he almost felt this guy breathing down his neck in worry.

Hiei followed quietly behind Kurama. '_Can't believe he got here so fast... The way back was shorter than the way there, even with all the talking... I knew she was important to him, but I didn't know it was this much._'

Sohda stopped on the threshold of Ryoko's room, letting Kurama walk past him quickly. Hiei stopped next to their new ally and saw the bruise on Sohda's cheek turn blueish. As if sensing Hiei's gaze, Sohda rubbed his cheek carefully, "I deserved that..." he mumbled with a small smile.

"Hn." replied Hiei, though not without a smirk.

Kurama sat on the edge of the bed, eyes roaming down Ray's body, looking for injuries. Besides the fever plaguing her and the somewhat burned skin on her abdomen, she looked-- healthy. In her delirium and head tossing, Ray kept mumbling, asking Shuichi to help her and her baby.

"I'm here Ray, I'm here." whispered Kurama, gently grabbing his girlfriend's hand. "I'm sorry it took me so long..."

Ryoko stood up from her chair, smiling slightly. "She'll be fine, although the fever won't let down."

Startled, Kurama turned around. He'd been so preoccupied with Ray that he didn't pay attention to his surroundings at all. Foolish of him. "Yes-- she'll get better soon." he agreed softly. And had it not been for a painful cry, they all would have believed that to be true.

As soon as he heard her and saw her pained expression, Kurama stood up, body tense and anxious again. "Ray? What's wrong? Can you hear me?" he called to her, tapping her cheek lightly.

Gray eyes fluttered open, the ceiling and the familiar red head seemed to dance around her. '_A dream... I'm floating in a dream..._' Pain cut that happy thought quite short. Dreams usually aren't painful, and this hurt too much to be a figment of her imagination. "Shuichi--" muttered Ray, tears of pain starting to blur even more her feverish vision.

"Where's the nearest hospital?" abruptly asked Kurama, staring at Ryoko.

While she was convincing him she'd drive them there, Sohda rushed to Ray's side and moved her uniform enough to see where he'd previously injured her. He saw nothing, and that was only more aggravating. His heart sank in his stomach. _He_ was responsible. It was his fault, and there was no way to help her now that the wound was closed!

He was pushed back to reality, quite literally, when Kurama shouldered past him, carefully picked up Ray and followed Ryoko out to her car. Hiei stayed behind, eyes fixed on his friend's back before turning them to Sohda's figure retreating in the shadows of the living room.

Once at the hospital, Kurama yelled for help until a nurse rushed to shut him up. He mustered all the charm he could under this terrible injured weight in his arms and begged the nurse to help Ray. After five minutes of a very one sided conversation, the nurse told him to put the girl down on a bed while she rushed to get a doctor on duty. Kurama glanced at his watch again, 20:57.

An hour and multiple tests later, a doctor finally came out to speak with Kurama. "Are you a relative--?"

"I'm her boyfriend." replied a determined Kurama, heart twice as heavy as usual.

The doctor then proceeded to explain the damages they'd discovered around Ray's lower stomach area. "The placenta was heavily damaged, but the baby is miraculously fine, I've never seen anything like it." Kurama's heart leaped upward in his chest, pounding happily. His baby was safe!

"However, there was irreparable damage done to the mother's left ovary. We're not sure she'll ever be able to have a child again..."

Kurama's blood ran cold and scarce. The doctor noticed and urged him to a chair so that his face would regain some color, "It's a miracle she herself survived the interior damage, but she seems to be healing just fine. She'll need a lot of rest for the rest of her pregnancy." Kurama nodded absentmindedly until the doctor left him alone. His head sank forward, face buried in his hands.

How would Ray react to those news? She was sleeping, and he didn't want to be the one telling her... yet on the other hand, he didn't want the staff telling her without any feelings. His mind and heart were in such turmoil, he pulled and played with his bangs until a nurse asked him if he could leave as the visitor hours were over a while ago. He managed to bargain and succeeded in spending the night in Ray's room, her light breathing the one sound stopping him from going truly insane.

The next morning, Ray woke up feeling fine. Her fever conquered and the pain gone left her smiling at the sight of a sleeping Shuichi. Slowly, she let her hand run smoothly down his hair. He'd come back for her, and she couldn't help but feel complete. The phone in his right hand started vibrating, so Ray grabbed it quickly so as not to wake him up.

She didn't want to pick it up, however, because she wouldn't know what to say to his mother. After a couple of times, the vibrating stopped and a message informed him he had a new voicemail. Ray smiled to herself and opened his phone, looking through his things: contacts, messages, ringtones and-- music? Intrigued, she opened his folder and saw a song beside her name titled 'Heaven' by DJ Sammy.

Unable _not_ to smile, Ray did so as widely as she could, especially while listening to the lyrics:

~*_Baby you're all that I want.  
When you're lying here in my arms  
I'm finding it hard to believe  
We're in heaven._*~

Ray giggled quietly to herself and leaned forward to hug Shuichi's head, not noticing him twitching awake. He was her knight in shining armor, her lover and haven. All in all, he pretty much gave her heaven.

~*_Oh, thinking about all our younger years,  
There was only you and me,  
We were young and wild and free.  
Now nothing can take you away from me.  
We've been down that road before,  
But that's over now.  
You keep me coming back for more._*~

Wild and free? Not-- quite, though they had quite interesting times bickering and fighting all the time. That was mostly her fault, focusing her hatred on someone else. Who knew it'd grow to be so much more? Kurama smiled and slowly sat up, inching forward to peck Ray's lips, not letting her escape.

~*_Baby you're all that I want.  
When you're lying here in my arms  
I'm finding it hard to believe  
We're in heaven._*~

"Good morning, my angel." whispered Shuichi in her ear.

~*_And love is all that I need  
And I found it there in your heart.  
It isn't too hard to see  
We're in heaven._*~

Ray found herself in between Shuichi's strong and warm arms. She had found love with him, after all these years thinking she'd never be capable of love, he'd shown her she could, and in more ways than one.

~*_Now, nothing could change what you mean to me.  
There's a lot that I could say  
But just hold me now,  
Cause our love will light the way._*~

Ray regretted her harsh words and deceit before her move, but he'd forgiven her, or why would he be here? She slowly wrapped her arms around him as well, putting her head on his shoulder.

~*_Baby you're all that I want.  
When you're lying here in my arms  
I'm finding it hard to believe  
We're in heaven._*~

It _was_ hard to believe they were so happy, especially considering what had just happened to her...

~*_And love is all that I need  
And I found it there in your heart.  
It isn't too hard to see  
We're in heaven._*~

Now that they were back together, she never wanted to part from him! Even if no one else accepted their relationship, she'd find a way to make it work! They hadn't been through so much for nothing!

~*_Now our dreams are coming true.  
Through the good times and the bad  
I'll be standing there by you._

_(We're in heaven.)_*~

They smiled at each other for a while, listening to the song and the more than fitting lyrics. As long as they both agreed to support and care for each other, why couldn't everything work out?

~*_And love is all that I need  
And I found it there in your heart.  
It isn't too hard to see  
We're in heaven._*~

Shuichi gently pulled Ray into his lap and clasped his arms around her stomach gently, letting his cheek brush against her ear. "How are you feeling?" he whispered lovingly.

She nodded slowly, "Fine..." An echo of pain ran through her abdomen and she jerked from Shuichi's grasp, gasping. "My baby--!"

"He's fine-- don't worry, he survived." he smiled reassuringly.

Ray slumped back down against his chest, relieved. "Thank goodness..."

A few minutes of silence later, Kurama took a deciding breath. "However... you've sustained... injuries..." he said softly, continuing the previous conversation.

Frowning slightly, Ray turned her head against his shoulder, "... What do you mean? I feel fine."

"... The doctor said... your left ovary was damaged beyond repair, although you're healing just fine--" he paused, not wanting to scare her. Ray didn't like where this was going, she turned slowly so as to face Shuichi. "But..."

"But what?" she frowned, confused and now a bit scared.

"... You might not be able to have other children in the future..." replied Shuichi in a whisper, his eyes hidden behind his convenient bangs.

The way home was uncomfortably silent, neither of them wanting to say anything concerning the devastating news. Holding somewhat loosely onto Ray's hand, Kurama rang the doorbell to their new home. The apartment seemed slightly bigger than the one they left behind, the one across the hall from his.

Both parents opened the door, looking disheveled. At once, Ray's mother looked relieved and ecstatic, though her dad was another story.

He waited until they were inside and the door was safely shut to yell at them both. "What's this? You disappear without a word from school yesterday, unreachable! You come back injured and-- and-- pregnant!" he roared disapprovingly.

Ray's mother had indeed attempted to talk to her husband about Ray's pregnancy being a blessing, but... "Not even out of high school! Even less married! Do you know what you'll look like? What _we_'ll look like!? Unforgivable-- Simply outrageous!"

Kurama tightened his grip on Ray's hand, somewhat expecting this kind of reaction. "You're right, it's my fault and I apologize." cordially responded Shuichi, bowing his head to Ray's dad. "I wasn't where I was needed in time to protect her, but I assure you it will **never** happen again." He sounded so confident that even her dad didn't think of something to interject.

"And... I'm sorry it came so late, but I came here with a very important question in mind." Without waiting any further, Shuichi looked into Ray's father's eyes. "I came here to ask for your daughter's hand."

Silence.

Ray and her mother seemed as shocked, but they quickly overcame the news with unstoppable joy. Her father, on the other hand, was gaping, trying to put his thoughts together. His wife happened to catch his eyes and he saw her meaningful and approving nod.

"... Well... if she wants to, I'll... be happy to give you both my blessing."

Kurama turned to Ray, the sweetest and happiest smile she'd ever seen on him. As if from a romance movie, he pulled a small, black velvet box from his pocket. Now in what seemed like slow motion, he kneeled in front of her, eyes shining with a thousand emotions as he opened the box to reveal a shiny ring. "Ray-- will you marry me?" Somewhere after her name, his courage deserted him quickly and he ended up whispering the crucial part.

For a moment, Ray was still and silent. A second later, a wide smile broke her porcelain face and she threw her arms around Shuichi's neck. "Of course-- of course I will!"

Their disagreement seemed to be forgotten and forgiven. When it came down to it, they both cared about the same thing: each other.

That night's dinner was delicious beyond the norm, although it was everyday food. Ray's mom didn't stop serving seconds to everyone, unable to stop smiling and hugging her daughter. When it became late and Shuichi insisted he needed to go home, Ray's mom gave him a reproachful glare.

"Nonsense! I'll call your mother, you stay here for the night." And after all that bowing and thanking, Ray and Shuichi were left alone in her room. Even her dad couldn't say no to her mom sometimes, and this just happened to be one of those times.

Ray sat on her bed, staring at the beautiful ring on her finger. Shuichi crept on the bed and snaked his arms around his fiancee's stomach. "It looks perfect on you..." he whispered lovingly in her ear.

Smiling, Ray couldn't help but feel her heart melt thanks to Shuichi's radiant love. "I think... spring is finally here." she giggled, trying not to let happy tears cloud her vision.

The red hair tilted his head to the side, confused. "What are you saying? Have you been sleeping? Spring has been here for months, it's almost the end of the school year, remember?"

Ray smiled lovingly, turned around and wrapped her arms around her fiancee, whispering her answer in his ear: "You're wrong. Winter just ended... in my heart."

(1) Sorry, using Japanese/European time! That's 4:11pm for you guys with little math abilities (I'm with you! Except this time is second nature to me...)

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How'd you like that? ... ;) Thought so!

NOTE! You know what would make me **extremely** happy? If I could get up to 100 reviews by the end of this story! As in, when I upload the next and last chapter (the epilogue!) and you guys all comment on it (in addition to this one of course)... That would be great! I know it's not impossible since some people just added me to their favorites or whatnot, so, as a thank you for finishing this story, can I ask for _one_ review? Thank you! I'll keep the theatrics in check until the epilogue's actually over. =D

On that note, there's only that epilogue left you guys! Are you anxious or what? I tried my best to keep you on your toes/out of your seats. Judging by your reviews and enthusiasm, I'd say it worked? ;) I want to thank you all for-- well, making this story enjoyable! Not only to write, but to look forward to your guys's reactions!

So that upcoming/in-progress story, if you're interested read ahead, if not, skip ahead (or back). It's still in construction mode, but it's basically plotted out. The best part is, I sent it to a friend (who's really not a Yu Yu Hakusho fan) to give me feedback since he's-- well, I can't give too much details right now. But anyway, he finished the story (and gave me loads of tips) and I kid you not, he not only complimented it, he's _looking forward to reading more_! Now that's an author's dream come true, isn't it? I was hoping my writing (or the idea in general) would entice him, but I certainly didn't expect his reaction! Which is awesome... So whenever I fix it and continue with it, I'll start posting. (I have to admit I'm on page... 19 at the moment, and it's not exactly halfway through...)


	21. Epilogue

I'm so sorry!! I bailed on my promise =( Then I got super busy adjusting and making friends and going on a field trip (wish I could show you pictures!) to Hiroshima and Kyoto that-- well, this kind of fell behind. Don't ask me why I start writing again when school starts, but-- I did, and hopefully this will satisfy your last chapter needs. :)

Side note: I had really back luck with getting sick for some reason... I was sick at least 3 times, went to the doctor twice. Bah. Having a cough that makes you hack up a lung every time isn't very pleasant (though a good workout?), then I had pink eye-esk symptoms three times and had to ditch school in case it was the H1N1 flu or something. I still survived, so HAH! .

**Disclaimer**: Sadly, even though I'm in Japan, I'm nowhere near licensing anything. :(  
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Epilogue**

The rest of the pregnancy evolved mostly quietly. Ray moved back to Tokyo and returned to her school, not without earning a couple of disapproving looks from teachers for being engaged at such a young age. The apartment across from Shuchi's was still vacant – she stopped wondering why when she saw her furniture in there and guessed her mom and Shuichi had played innocent in front of her.

Not everything was perfect though, as Ray realized on the train back to Tokyo. Someone pulled the emergency break and the train was delayed for at least four hours. She realized of course when Kurama disappeared that it had to do with inhuman beings. Thankfully, he wasn't gone too long and before she could truly start to worry, he was back next to her, smiling while draping an arm around her shoulders.

"He helped, didn't he?"

"Hm?"

"Your friend. The one who saved me." She hadn't caught his name, nor had she been given the opportunity to thank him for rescuing her from Yukio's grip.

Kurama smiled mysteriously and gave a half nod, "Perhaps..." he answered vaguely.

Ray tried to pout, but she couldn't help a smile. "Fine, don't tell me his name. But the next time you see him, can you at least give him my heartfelt thanks?"

Kurama didn't respond, but he smiled. There was no need for her thanks, he had given Hiei more gratitude than the fire demon would ever want to receive in a life time. Kurama almost chuckled at the memory. Hiei's face was twitching when his fox friend thanked him for the billionth time. "Save it, fox, or I'll cut out your tongue."

Or in everyday language : "Stop thanking me, it's embarrassing." But after the thanking came the inquiring, how did Hiei manage to find Ray? Kurama was even more curious as to _why_ his normally human-despising friend went through the trouble of finding his girlfriend. The only thing Hiei bothered answering was that he intended to drag her back to speak to him since they were both stubborn as mules and heartbroken. Kurama had meant to thank his friend again, but the short demon disappeared before the red head could.

Back on the train, Kurama had to admit he was a tiny bit surprised that his – gorgeous – fiancée was so astute. It would be impossible for a human to feel his presence when even he had some difficulties. Ray smiled, "I can tell you know, you're _that_ much more happy when he's around." she squinted at the small space between her thumb and index.

"Are you jealous?" chuckled the red head, soon-to-be-father. Ray smiled ambiguously and rested her head on his shoulder. The train brought them back safely, though late, to Tokyo, and life seemed to resume its normal course with the added happiness.

Following the doctor's strong advice, Ray tried not to do anything too strenuous—not like she could anyway with an overprotective Shuichi by her side. "Don't lift that, it's too heavy for you." Oh alright. "No don't run! I'll come to you." Um, okay... "That's okay, I can do it, really." But so can I!

You get the picture.

It was autumn when Ray stopped going to school, her last year, because her stomach bulged so much it seemed Shuichi was afraid it was going to split open with every step. He almost wanted to restrict her to the apartment, where it was safest after all now that he'd invested in some-- security.

Ray had finally met Shuichi's closest friends, now that she had come to terms – after quite a few nights of thinking – with his true nature. Yusuke and Kuwabara couldn't help elbowing Shuichi the entire time, grinning idiotically and pointing at the matching rings. Now Ray understood all the mysteries and headaches of her other half's life.

Everything was going fine on this fine afternoon when the first contraction occurred. All the guys in the room freaked out. Shuichi reacted like a dog who had lost his sense of smell: running around seemingly aimlessly before coming back on his track, and being distracted again. Yusuke and Kuwabara didn't really know how to react except to chuckle nervously and keep moving around the living room.

"Will you-- calm down?" huffed Ray, trying to even out her breathing. "Shuichi-- the car." Before too long, they arrived at the hospital and Kurama's breathless babble somehow made sense to a nurse – probably when she saw Ray being brought in holding onto Yusuke and Kuwabara – and she was then immediately taken care of. She started losing her water just when she was being helped onto the rolling bed.

Kurama seemed to go crazy and both Yusuke and Kuwabara had to restrain him from going berserk and running rogue everywhere. "Calm down fox, do you really think being agitated will help anyone?"

Yusuke glanced over Kurama's shoulder and smiled, "Hiei!"

"Nice of you to join us on this happy occasion," grinned Kuwabara.

Hiei almost snorted, "Save the nonsense. Fox, you've got work to do."

Kurama looked like he got electrified briefly, which must have rewired his brain. "Is that so?" he asked softly, glancing at his friend. The fire demon looked left, then vanished. Kurama half smiled and got to work.

"What was that for?" asked a confused Yusuke to Kuwabara. The latter simply shrugged, as lost as his friend.

"We might get _company_ very soon. I need to-- 'erase' my family's existence." answered Kurama before walking towards the delivery room, where the medical staff had taken Ray.

Yusuke's eyes lit up seriously. "I might just have to greet them warmly."

"What about me?" inquired Kuwabara, pointing a clueless finger at himself.

"Stay there and stay alert. They might pose as staff." With that, Yusuke and Kurama vanished, leaving Kuwabara become suspicious by himself.

Kurama started casting a protective barrier around the delivery room, all the while hearing Ray's breathless grunts. He tried not to wince and finished his barrier. Even though he was done, he couldn't bring himself to leave. Ray's screams resounded in his head and he envisioned her sweating, panting, and hard at work.

"Breathe, and – push!" directed a nurse for the tenth time. "I see the head, you're almost there!" Ray groaned and pushed out her baby with the rest of her energy. She heard a small cough before the baby tried out his lungs and cried a few shrill times.

"Congratulations, it's a boy!" smiled the nurse as another cut the umbilical cord.

"Let me see--" mumbled an exhausted Ray, covered in sweat. The nurses cleaned the baby and the mother's face, then handed the young mother her child. Though tired, Ray held onto her son tightly and brought him to her chest.

"... Hello, my Kousuke." she smiled and kissed the baby's cheek. She didn't notice her son smiling back at her because pain shot through her uterus. "Ah--!" she gasped both in pain and surprise.

The nurses, worried, took her baby away and had the doctor come check the source of the pain. "My baby--" whispered Ray, wanting to feel his warmth.

The doctor frowned, "Prep her for surgery, stat!" The nurses wheeled Ray out of the room so quickly she barely noticed her fiancé before finding herself in another room.

"What's wrong, what's happening?" asked a very anxious father.

"Something happened with her uterus, we need to make sure her life isn't in danger." answered a nurse before running into the operating room. Another nurse stepped out, holding the baby covered in blankets and approached Kurama.

"Are you the father?"

He quickly nodded then realized he was staring at his baby. "Is this--?"

The nurse smiled, "Your son."

Hesitantly, Kurama reached forward and grabbed the newborn, realizing the weight of a new life. "What about Ray?"

"The doctor will come talk to you after the surgery. In the meantime, please be patient."

Kurama followed the nurse into another room filled with newborns and sat by the window. "It'll be alright... your mother's strong." whispered Kurama to his son, though mostly to reassure himself. As minutes ticked by, his thoughts diverted from Ray's surgery to the baby in his arms. What a beautiful child, he certainly thought it was the most beautiful baby in the world. But don't all parents think that way?

His son had little hair, gorgeous pastel green eyes and was currently gurgling at him. Kurama smiled and gave his kid a kiss. Suddenly, he stood straight up and frowned. What was _that_? It was like he heard a voice... Just when he was about to try something, a nurse approached him and started talking to him about baby care.

~*~  
It was two hours later when a doctor finally came out of surgery to talk to Shuichi. "... It seems, the damage she suffered during her pregnancy wasn't completely stopped..."

"Wh-what does that mean?" frowned Kurama, slightly confused.

The doctor sighed. "It's very regrettable for a woman her age, but... we had to take out her damaged ovaries, which appeared to be-- disintegrating from the inside out, we're not sure what caused that but we're having a team examine it as we speak." Kurama stared, at a loss of words. "I'm extremely sorry to say she'll never be able to have children again... She was lucky to have this one at all, a real miracle."

The rest just washed off Kurama's ears, he wasn't listening any longer. It felt like a hole was opening beneath him and engulfing him. How could he tell Ray? Did she know? How would she react? After the doctor left, Kurama was pulled out of his thoughts by Kuwbara. "Hey, you okay?"

Kurama somewhat glanced at his friend and gave a tiny nod, still in shock. It was his fault, wasn't it? "Hiei and Yusuke uh-- _escorted out_... two visitors." mumbled Kuwabara conspiratorially.

Oh-- right, Ray's life was still in danger, and again, because of him. "I see, thank you." replied Kurama in a mutter.

"And uh, you have company..." mumbled Kuwabara, almost flustered before he nearly ran out. Kurama looked up and saw Ray's parents bowing to a doctor. He sure hoped they didn't get as much detail as he did, but judging from their faces-- they knew.

Kurama stood up as they approached, the mother with a sad smile on her face. "Ah-- hello." bowed Shuichi. The mother bowed back but the father ignored him and sat down on a seat before pinching the bridge of his nose in between two fingers.

The next hour was filled with awkward silences or even more awkward small talk conversations. Finally, Ray's mother convinced the silent brooding father to leave for dinner. Only she bothered to say good bye to Shuichi, telling him to take care of their daughter.

~*~  
After two days of checkups and last tests, Ray was allowed to go home with her new family, but without hope of expanding that family. At this point, Kurama was in overload of paranoia and saw enemies everywhere: the nurses, the other patients, the seemingly harmless elderly in a wheelchair. "Relax Shuichi, you're making **me** nervous!" chuckled Ray, glancing at the beautiful baby boy in her arms.

Kurama sweatdropped and let her in the apartment, "I'm sorry, I'm a little uneasy..."

"Really? I didn't notice..." smiled Ray before shaking her head. "Don't worry, didn't you say Yusuke took care of them?"

Grudgingly, the red head nodded and sat next to his beaming wife on the couch. "Yes-- I just have a weird feeling..."

"Stop being a worry rat! Kousuke will take after you." tsked Ray with a reprimanding smile before nuzzling her baby's cheek. Kousuke simply gurgled at her, his tiny little hands clasping to her strands of hair. Kurama laughed and brushed his son's hair, smiling widely when he heard the little voice in his head again.

"He seems very happy."

"Of course, why wouldn't he enjoy such a good show such as parents arguing?" chuckled Ray, glancing at Shuichi with an amused look. Kurama had nothing to retort at that and thus leaned in for a kiss. After the impending graduation, he had found a decent job to support his family. Things would look up from here, especially as Kousuke grew up to protect his mother. Things looked bright, and Ray smiled happily at Shuichi.

~*~  
A few days later came some surprising yet relieving news: Yukio was dead. When they asked Hiei details, he simply answered that when he went back to castrate the bastard, he was nowhere to be found. Visiting their new acquaintance with a foot in the supernatural, Hiei learned from Sohda that Yukio was killed the very next day that he tried to get his revenge.

Apparently, a lot of unfriendly supernatural beings gathered in his hideout, attracted no doubt to his emanating darkness, and started fighting amongst each other – it is after all what they do best. However, the winner was the one who dealt the final blow to Yukio, before apparently eating his rotting heart. How Sohda came to know such information Hiei didn't disclose, but the information was indeed correct.

The good thing was that they would no longer be bothered by his persistently bothersome nature. It seemed that with the death of their most relentless foe, the number of attacks decreased substantially and their life could almost be considered normal. But no one in that family was normal, and it was just fine like that.

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I'm finally done! W00! And so inexcusably tardy! ;-; Sorry!!! I know it's... _very_ happy, but I had started writing this with um-- action things, and then just got stuck deeper and deeper until I had to erase and rewrite (which I never do!) in order to finish. I hope it's satisfactory.

I really want to thank all of you reviewers and readers who stuck with me to the bitter (or happy) end! Reading your reviews and your overwhelmingly positive comments of how you loved this story, well, honestly it made uber happy!!! If the correct music was playing in the background, I swear I could've started tearing up... So, I hope (or know) you enjoyed it!! :) Stay tuned for more stories! My plots just... get better... (maybe). And if I can remind you to leave a last farewell review to help my goal of 100 (9 short on fanfiction!). =)

Thank you again!!


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